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Pink Bollworm

Last Updated: November 29, 2007 Related resource areas: Cotton

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Pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is a major pest of cotton in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Adults are small, grayish brown, inconspicuous moths. When their wings are folded, they have an elongated slender appearance. The wing tips are conspicuously fringed. Young larvae are tiny, white caterpillars with dark brown heads. When mature, they are about 0.5 inch (12 mm) long and have wide transverse pink bands on the back. Eggs are very small, slightly elongated, and laid under the calyx of green bolls.


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