Eradicating the Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): A Clash Between a Highly Successful Insect, Good Scientific Achievement, and Differing Agricultural Philosophies

The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, probably arrived in the United States near Brownsville, Tex., about 1892. In the next 30 years, this pest thundered across the U.S. Cotton Belt, leaving in its path destruction and devastation, causing shifts in agricultural production and social structure of the real South, and in reality shaping the early development of the profession of entomology in the southern states. Through the efforts of hundreds of dedicated people, the total elimination of this costly pest from within the United States borders is on the near horizon. It has not been an easy battle over the past 40 years, primarily because of the biological capabilities of the boll weevil itself, but also because of politics, misunderstandings, and often misguided efforts of scientists, environmentalists, and the public. This report chronicles the adventure from 1892 to the present and provides insight into the capabilities of the insect, remarkable scientific accomplishments, and political challenges.