Anthonomus grandis

Definition

A species of weevil in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the boll weevil, whose larvae and adults feed on developing cotton buds and flowers, causing major economic damage to cotton crops. Native to Central Mexico, it spread through the United States in the late 19th century and became a devastating agricultural pest across the American South by the 1920s; it later established in South America during the late 20th century. The species has a long, curved rostrum typical of the genus Anthonomus and is the target of extensive eradication programs.

Etymology

From Greek anthos (flower) + nomos (managing, distributing), referring to flower-feeding habits of the genus; grandis Latin for large or great.

Example

Anthonomus grandis was responsible for the collapse of cotton production across the southeastern United States during the early 20th century, prompting the development of integrated pest management strategies including pheromone trapping and sterile insect release.

Synonyms

• Boll weevil
• Anthonomus thurberiae (obsolete)

Related Terms

• Curculionidae
• weevil
• cotton pest
• Integrated Pest Management
• eradication program
• rostrum
• anthonomine

Usage Notes

Use Anthonomus grandis for formal taxonomic or scientific contexts; boll weevil is the common name used in agriculture and economic entomology. The obsolete synonym Anthonomus thurberiae occasionally appears in older literature. The species is distinguished from other Anthonomus species by its association with cotton (Gossypium) rather than other Malvaceae hosts.