American Entomologist (2009) 55, 40-48

Allan T. Showler (2009)
Three boll weevil diapause myths in perspective
American Entomologist 55 (1), 40-48
Abstract: The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a serious pest of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L, originated in Mesoamerica, but its contemporary distribution extends from the United States Cotton Belt to Argentina. Myths, dogma, and misperceptions that persist about the insect's diapause hinder the development of control strategies suitable to subtropical and tropical areas. Three salient myths are that diapause induction is governed by diet; diapause is universal; and diapause is accurately characterized by fat body size or lack of egg production. An examination of assumptions and the experimental approaches that established them, and integration of studies conducted in the subtropics led to the following conclusions: Diet does not govern diapause; diapause has not been reported reliably in subtropical and tropical habitats; "reproductive diapause" is a term that presupposes diapause; and diapause should not be determined by a few selected characteristics of poor quality considered alone or in combination with one or two others, including fat bodies and absence of eggs. Overwinter survival modes in the subtropics involve adults feeding on alternative food sources that do not support egg production, quiescent individuals in desiccated bolls, and adults breeding on volunteer cotton plants and their progeny. Resemblance of effects of nutrient deficiencies to frequently used diapause criteria and the roles of subtropical nonreproductive host plants (plants providing sustenance but not suitable for egg development or oviposition), notably cultivated citrus, during winter are discussed.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Allan T. Showler

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anthonomus grandis	Cotton (Gossypium)