"insects that entered the United States from Mexico in 1892, created 100 years of problems for the U.S. cotton industry. Many consider the boll weevil almost as important as the Civil War as an agent of change in the South, forcing economic and social changes. In total, the boll weevil is estimated to have caused $22 billion in damages. In the late 1950s, the U.S. cotton industry faced economic problems, and eradication of the boll weevil was prioritized. The Agricultural Research Service built the Boll Weevil Research Laboratory, which came up with detection traps and pheromone lures. The program was"
"cotton production has been the boll weevil. Due to the US Department of Agriculture's highly successful Boll Weevil Eradication Program (BWEP), this pest has been eliminated from cotton in most of the United States. This program, along with the introduction of genetically engineered Bt cotton (which contains a bacterial gene that codes for a plant-produced protein that is toxic to a number of pests such as cotton bollworm and pink bollworm), has allowed a reduction in the use of synthetic insecticides. Other significant global pests of cotton include the pink bollworm, ""Pectinophora gossypiella""; the chili thrips, ""Scirtothrips dorsalis""; the cotton"
"The Boll Weevil Monument was dedicated on December 11, 1919, as a reminder of how the city adjusted in the face of adversity. It is the only monument to an agricultural pest in the world. In the early afternoon of March 1, 2007, Enterprise was hit by a devastating tornado (rated EF4) during the February–March 2007 Tornado Outbreak. The tornado caused nine deaths, injured over 121 others, and left severe damage in the city estimated at nearly $307,000,000, becoming the worst disaster in Enterprise history. The students names are Michael Bowen (16) Andrew (AJ) Jackson (16) Ryan Mohler (16), Peter"
"reached southeastern Alabama by 1915. By the mid-1920s, it had entered all cotton-growing regions in the US, traveling per year. It remains the most destructive cotton pest in North America. Mississippi State University has estimated, since the boll weevil entered the United States, it has cost cotton producers about $13 billion, and in recent times about $300 million per year. The bark beetle, elm leaf beetle and the Asian longhorned beetle (""Anoplophora glabripennis"") are among the species that attack elm trees. Bark beetles (Scolytidae) carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to healthy trees. The disease"
"as ""Solanum carolinense"". Few enemies of this weevil have been identified, but it is sometimes parasitised by the braconid wasp, ""Nealiolus curculionis"" and less frequently by the chalcid wasp, ""Eurytoma tylodermatis"". The adults feed on leaves producing ragged holes, but it is the larvae that cause most damage to the potato crop with their tunnelling activities. At one time this weevil was considered a serious pest of potatoes, however modern management practices have reduced its impact. The burning or removal of crop residues destroys the overwintering adults. Trichobaris trinotata Trichobaris trinotata, commonly known as the ""potato stalk borer"", is a"
"the season without being noticed. Once the grass starts flowering, the open panicle seed head shows the infestation. The damage to wheat crop is through both strong competition, lowering yield, and seed contamination, lowering quality. Ripgut brome is also troublesome in rangeland if it establishes in high numbers. The grass is of low nutritional value to livestock. Brome seeds can also mix with sheep wool and lower its value. Moreover, sharp awns of ripe seeds can penetrate sheep’s skin into the flesh causing pain and lowering carcass value. If ingested, the strong awns can cause injury to sheep’s mouth and"
"cotton bolls or maize ears. The cotton bollworm is a highly polyphagous species. The most important crop hosts are tomato, cotton, pigeon pea, chickpea, rice, sorghum, and cowpea. Other hosts include groundnut, okra, peas, field beans, soybeans, lucerne, ""Phaseolus"" spp., other Leguminosae, tobacco, potatoes, maize, flax, ""Dianthus"", ""Rosa"", ""Pelargonium"", ""Chrysanthemum"", ""Lavandula angustifolia"", a number of fruit trees, forest trees, and a range of vegetable crops. In Russia and adjacent countries, the larvae populate more than 120 plant species, favouring ""Solanum"", ""Datura"", ""Hyoscyamus"", ""Atriplex"", and ""Amaranthus"" genera. The greatest damage is caused to cotton, tomatoes, maize, chick peas, alfalfa, and tobacco."
"Maize weevil The maize weevil (""Sitophilus zeamais""), known in the United States as the greater rice weevil, is a species of beetle in the family Curculionidae. It can be found in numerous tropical areas around the world, and in the United States, and is a major pest of maize. This species attacks both standing crops and stored cereal products, including wheat, rice, sorghum, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, peas, and cottonseed. The maize weevil also infests other types of stored, processed cereal products such as pasta, cassava, and various coarse, milled grains. It has even been known to attack fruit while"
"suddenly in dire straights as the cost of production had not decreased along with the prices they received for their produce. The boll weevil pest was responsible for a great deal of the misery suffered by South Carolina cotton farmers after 1920. In 1922, South Carolina cotton farmers produced 22% fewer bales than they had in 1920. The South Carolina Office of Tourism encourages travelers to visit one monument in Blackstock. This monument, dedicated to the slave Burrel Hemphill, can be found on the front grounds of Hopewell ARP Church. The monument consists of a small stone building with a"
"season, many species of birds, including the long-tailed widowbird, and rodents feed upon wheat crops. These animals can cause significant damage to a crop by digging up and eating newly planted seeds or young plants. They can also damage the crop late in the season by eating the grain from the mature spike. Recent post-harvest losses in cereals amount to billions of dollars per year in the United States alone, and damage to wheat by various borers, beetles and weevils is no exception. Rodents can also cause major losses during storage, and in major grain growing regions, field mice numbers"
"Wheat weevil The wheat weevil (""Sitophilus granarius""), also known as the grain weevil or granary weevil, occurs all over the world and is a common pest in many places. It can cause significant damage to harvested stored grains and may drastically decrease crop yields. The females lay many eggs and the larvae eat the inside of the grain kernels. Adult wheat weevils are about long with elongated snouts and chewing mouth parts. Depending on the grain kernels, the size of the weevil varies. In small grains, such as millet or grain sorghum, they are small in size, but are larger"
"present major problems in crop protection. Worldwide economic losses are estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Prominent pest species include: Although several species of whitefly may cause some crop losses simply by sucking sap when they are very numerous, the major harm they do is indirect. Firstly, like many other sap-sucking Hemiptera, they secrete large amounts of honeydew that support unsightly or harmful infestations of sooty mold. Secondly,they inject saliva that may harm the plant more than either the mechanical damage of feeding or the growth of the fungi. However, by far their major importance as crop pests"
"Geese became prolific and began to adversely affect pastures and crops. In 2011 restrictions on hunting them were dropped to allow them to be culled. Gorse was introduced as a hedgerow plant but has become the most expensive agricultural plant pest costing millions of dollars in efforts to control its spread over farmland. Other serious pasture and crop land plant pest are nodding thistle (""Carduus nutans""), Californian thistle (""Cirsium arvense""), ragwort (""Senecio jacobaea""), broom (""Cytisus scoparius""), giant buttercup (""Ranunculus acris""), fat-hen (""Chenopodium album""), willow weed (""Polygonum persicaria""), and hawkweed (""Hieracium"" species). Because of its geographical isolation New Zealand is free"
"from year to year and a significant attack may occur about once in every seven years, potentially causing yield losses worth tens of millions of dollars. The loss in yield of grain has been estimated at 50–90% in wheat and 20–30% in barley. While feeding, the sunn bugs inject proteolytic and amlolytic enzymes into the wheat causing breakdown of the gluten which reduces the quality of the flour resulting in the production of inferior dough. Traditional control methods include the early application of fertilizer on winter crops, the early sowing of spring crops, the selection of varieties resistant to the"
"growers in California. California produces approximately 90% of the United States’ winter vegetable crop, and has incurred an estimated $500 million in crop damage due to silverleaf whitefly populations. Across the agricultural industry, this pest is thought to cost the state $774 million in private sector plant sales, 12,540 jobs, and $112.5 million in personal income. On a national scale, the United States has suffered crop and ornamental plant damages in excess of $1 billion. This species of whitefly is a particularly devastating pest because it feeds on over 500 plant species. Common hosts are agricultural crops including tomatoes, squash,"
"variety of plant taxa. It has been found on most every kind of plant except conifers. It is problematic in many kinds of plant crops, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, medicinal plants, fiber plants, oil plants, and ornamental plants. Crops affected include sisal hemp, tea, cotton, mastic, oil palms, neem, and many foods and flowers. The insect damages the plant by sucking sap, weakening it. The physical damage includes discoloration and deformation of leaves. Flowers and fruits fail to develop. When the insects feed on the fruits they are discolored and warped, reducing their value on the market. Infestations can kill"
"a buffer against the hardships of the Great Depression. The Great Depression was preceded by the ""Cotton Bust"" across the South. This reached Rome in the mid-1920s, and caused many farmers to move away, sell their land or convert to other agricultural crops, such as corn. Farm workers were displaced, and many African Americans left the area in the Great Migration, seeking work in cities, including those in the North and Midwest. Cotton crops were being destroyed by the boll weevil, a tiny bug that reached Georgia in 1915 (invading from Louisiana). The boll weevil destroyed many fields of cotton"
"Vine weevil Black vine weevil (""Otiorhynchus sulcatus"") is an insect native to Europe but common in North America as well. It is a pest of many garden plants. The adult weevil is matte black with fused wing covers, and is unable to fly. It feeds at night on the outer edges of leaves, causing the leaves to have a notched margin. Broadleaved evergreen plants such as ""Camellia"", ""Rhododendron"", ""Euonymus"" and ""Bergenia"" are particularly prone to damage, although a wide range of different garden plants is susceptible to attack. Female weevils have the ability to reproduce parthenogenetically with fertilisation of eggs"
"beetle"". The story concludes with the comment that the beetles were used as toys by young boys, and that the head was removed and worn as a pendant. About 75% of beetle species are phytophagous in both the larval and adult stages. Many feed on economically important plants and stored plant products, including trees, cereals, tobacco, and dried fruits. Some, such as the boll weevil, which feeds on cotton buds and flowers, can cause extremely serious damage to agriculture. The boll weevil crossed the Rio Grande near Brownsville, Texas, to enter the United States from Mexico around 1892, and had"
"weevil (""Conotrachelus retentus"") grows to long as an adult. The adult sucks plant juices through a snout. The eggs are laid in fruits in the spring and summer. Many nuts are lost due to damage from the larvae, which burrow through the nut shell. Black walnut is affected by European canker (""Neonectria galligena""). The infection spreads slowly but infected trees eventually die. The walnut caterpillar (Datana integerrima) and fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) are two of the most serious pests, they commonly eat the foliage in midsummer and continue into autumn. Codling moth (""Cydia pomonella"") larvae eat walnut kernels, as well"
"""Platyptilia carduidactyla"", the bumble flower beetle ""Euphoria inda"", and the stem borer weevil ""Lixus pervestitus"". Large sections of several thistle populations have been damaged by one or more of these insects. The non-native flower head weevil ""Rhinocyllus conicus"" has the potential to damage the thistle; it was purposely introduced to North America in an attempt to control various species of invasive thistles which are noxious weeds, including musk thistle. The weevil was never released in New Mexico because of its potential to attack the native thistle; unfortunately, it has moved into the area on its own. So far its distribution"
"Rice weevil The rice weevil (""Sitophilus oryzae"") is a stored product pest which attacks several crops, including wheat, rice, and maize. The adults are around 2 mm long with a long snout. The body color appears to be brown/black, but on close examination, four orange/red spots are arranged in a cross on the wing covers. It is easily confused with the similar looking maize weevil, but there are several distinguishing features: Adult rice weevils are able to fly, and can live for up to two years. Females lay 2-6 eggs per day and up to 300 over their lifetime. The"
"range, and it generally grows in steeper spots that have been less impacted by grazing. The area is also browsed by bighorn sheep, elk, deer, and mountain goats. The ecosystem is negatively impacted by introduced species of plants, including cheat grass (""Bromus tectorum""), St. John's wort (""Hypericum perforatum""), field bindweed (""Convolvulus arvensis""), Dalmatian toadflax (""Linaria genistifolia"" ssp. ""dalmatica""), and yellow starthistle (""Centaurea solstitialis""). The three-toed stem-boring weevil (""Mecinus janthinus"") has been released into four o'clock habitat that is infested with dalmatian toadflax to act as an agent of biological pest control against the weed. While the four o'clock generally survives"
"Barley yellow dwarf Barley yellow dwarf is a plant disease caused by the barley yellow dwarf virus, and is the most widely distributed viral disease of cereals. It affects the economically important crop species barley, oats, wheat, maize, triticale and rice. Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) is a positive sense single-stranded RNA virus; the viron is not enveloped in a lipid coating. The virus is transmitted by aphids, and the taxonomy of the virus is based on genome organisation, serotype differences and on the primary aphid vector of each isolate. The isolates and their major vectors (in parentheses) are: When"
"history. The Library of Congress American Memory Project contains a number of oral history materials on the boll weevil's impact. A 2009 study found ""that as the weevil traversed the American South [in the period 1892-1932], it seriously disrupted local economies, significantly reduced the value of land (at this time still the most important asset in the American South), and triggered substantial intraregional population movements."" The boll weevil infestation has been credited with bringing about economic diversification in the Southern US, including the expansion of peanut cropping. The citizens of Enterprise, Alabama, erected the Boll Weevil Monument in 1919, perceiving"
"grain. Species like ""Bruchidius atrolineatus"" and ""Callosobruchus maculatus"", (commonly known as cowpea weevils, or bruchids) carry out their life cycle within grain, and their presence makes the crop unfit for human or animal consumption. These insects reproduce rapidly, thus only a few of the insects within a collection of cowpeas can cause significant damage within a month. Cowpea is an extremely important crop to Western and Central African countries. Not only are cowpeas highly nutritious for humans, but they are also a source of fodder for animals, and are regularly used by rural women to generate their own income, thus"
"that such a high level of control can be established and maintained on the whole. It is estimated that adequate control can be achieved with the introduction of two European weevils, including one that is monophagous. However, the USDA's TAG group has blocked these introductions since 2004. In addition to being invasive, garlic mustard also is a threat to native North American ""Pieris"" butterflies such as ""Pieris oleracea"", as they preferentially oviposit on it, although it is toxic to their larvae. This family includes important agricultural crops, among which many vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard"
"fruit and nut orchards and some kinds of vegetable crops but also to houses and communications equipment. The little corella is a declared pest of agriculture in Western Australia, where it is an aviculturally introduced species. The birds damage sorghum, maize, sunflower, chickpeas and other crops. They also defoliate amenity trees in parks and gardens, dig for edible roots and corms on sports grounds and race tracks, as well as chew wiring and household fittings. In South Australia, where flocks can number several thousand birds and the species is listed as unprotected, they are accused of defoliating red gums and"
"the larvae, however ""Acremonium lolii"" renders perennial ryegrass toxic to livestock at some stages of growth, putting them at risk of developing the disease perennial ryegrass staggers. Listronotus bonariensis Listronotus bonariensis is a species of weevil that is native to South America and is commonly known as the Argentine stem weevil. It is a pest of grasses and cereals, with the larvae being more destructive than the adult insects. It has spread to Australia and New Zealand, where it is regarded as a pest species. The Argentine stem weevil is a small grey insect up to long, with a waxy"
"egg in it already. This ensures the young will survive and produce another generation. One pair of weevils may produce up to 6,000 offspring per year. Wheat weevils are wheat, oats, rye, barley, rice and corn pests. Unfortunately the impact of wheat weevils worldwide is unknown because information is not well shared. It is believed to be especially bad in places where the grain harvests are not accurately measured. The weevils are hard to detect and usually all of the grain in an infested storage facility must be destroyed. Many methods have been attempted to get rid of the wheat"
"the seed to work itself deeply into flesh. This is one of several grass species known to pet owners as ""foxtails"", a backyard hazard for outdoor cats and dogs. Ripgut brome can substantially reduce yields when it invades wheat fields. It has naturalized in some areas and is considered a troublesome noxious weed in others. ""Bromus diandrus"" is an invasive species in California native habitats. This brome grass is a troublesome weed in cereal crops and natural pasture lands. The life cycle of ""B. diandrus"" helps it to grow in wheat fields in which it can grow for most of"
"because this encourages the growth of wild grasses and weeds which can also act as hosts. Seedlings of maize are also badly affected. In perennial ryegrass, the eggs are laid on the leaf sheaths and the newly hatched larvae bore into the stem below. As each larva passes through its four instar stages it burrows through the plant and may destroy up to five tillers in the process. It is usual for only one larva to be present in each tiller. Attempts have been made in New Zealand to biologically control the Argentine stem weevil. The braconid wasp ""Microctonus hyperodae"""
"display at Enterprise's Depot Museum, a few hundred feet away at 106 Railroad Street. There is a security camera nearby that monitors the monument for further vandalism. Boll Weevil Monument The Boll Weevil Monument in downtown Enterprise, Alabama, United States is a prominent landmark and tribute erected by the citizens of Enterprise in 1919 to show their appreciation to an insect, the boll weevil, for its profound influence on the area's agriculture and economy. Hailing the beetle as a ""herald of prosperity,"" it stands as the world's first monument built to honor an agricultural pest. The Monument consists of a"