Preventive Control

Natural enemies

Parasitoids

Catolaccus grandis is a parasitoid wasp of boll weevil which is native to Southeastern Mexico. It feeds on its host externally by attaching itself to the outside covering of the host. C. grandis is not intimately dependent on host but behave almost as a predator with the difference that it requires only one host to complete its development. It lives inside the host while it continues its development (Morales-Ramos; et. al., 1998: pp. 101-109).

The female wasp has a length between 4 to 5.5 mm. The head and thorax are shining black with the bright red compound eyes. Males are smaller between 3 to 3.5 mm long. Both sexes can be differentiated by their abdomens. The female abdomen is pointed metallic blue or blue-green, while the male abdomen is oval in shape and presents a transversal window white to light yellow in coloration (Morales-Ramos; et. al., 1998: pp. 101-109).

The wasp has been tested both in the laboratory and in the field and performed satisfactorily on boll weevil control. The wasps are not commercially available but these are mass-produced for experimental releases (Morales-Ramos; et. al., 1998: pp. 101-109).

Cultural and management practices

1. Select cultivars that are resistant to boll weevil. Ask for assistance from local agriculturist office for the availability in your area.
2. Destroy plants immediately after harvest to eliminate possible feeding and reproductive sites of boll weevils (Fernandes; de Carvalho; Habib, 2001).