November 3, 2000

Eradication has weevils on the run

Hot, dry weather conditions this year favored two boll weevil eradication efforts underway on the Rolling Plains, said a Texas Cooperative Extension entomologist.

"There are two active boll weevil eradication programs on the Rolling Plains—the Rolling Plains central zone and the Rolling Plains northern zone," said Emory Boring, Extension entomologist. "By the end of 2001, the central zone will probably be pretty close to their eradication goal."

Boll weevil numbers are low in the northern zone, which begins in Hardeman and Foard counties and stretches east through Wilbarger, Wichita, Archer and Clay counties.

"Most irrigated cotton in the northern zone is located in Hardeman and Wichita counties. This year's drought helped raise weevil mortality there, and lower September treatment thresholds have pushed weevil numbers well below those in the western counties of this zone," Boring said. "There is little boll weevil migration from the north or south into this zone—thanks to its isolation from weevil-infested counties further to the east, and eradication programs in Oklahoma and the Rolling Plains central zone."

Boll weevil migration has been a problem on the western side of the northern zone—especially around Turkey, Texas, the entomologist said.

"Even so, the addition of about 56,000 acres of cotton below the Caprock in Motley, Dickens, Kent, Briscoe, Garza and Crosby counties should help curtail weevil migration," Boring said. "Producers and landowners in these counties voted to become part of the Rolling Plains northern zone in May. Diapause control applications started on this acreage in early September."

Boring said this additional acreage establishes a well defined boundary to help limit weevil migration into the northwest part of the central zone.