Origin and Dispersal of the Boll Weevil

In recent years there has been increased attention directed toward understanding the systematics and biogeography of the boll weevil, Antbonomus grandis Boheman, a major pest of cotton in the New World (Fig. 1). Much of this interest has been generated by the continued threat this insect poses to cotton production in previously inhabited areas, as well as because of its recent expansion into hitherto uninfested areas (Table 1). The question of the origin and dispersal of the boll weevil has been a subject of interest since the species first became known as a pest in the United States in the early 1890's. Because of the economic importance of this insect, it is not surprising that several ideas have been expressed on the subject of its origin and subsequent movement. Considerable information has been published on the boll weevil, but no comprehensive effort has been made to address the question of where the species came from or how it reached its present distribution.