For boll weevil infestations in your home, simple vacuuming, thorough cleaning, and laying of traps should be enough to eliminate these bugs. But if the boll weevils have infested your croplands, you may have to use powerful insecticides like Malathion throughout the farmland.
But before we look at some of the other things, you could do to get rid of boll weevils and why they work, it’s important to first note that boll weevils are different from other kinds of grain weevils. For starters, boll weevils are little black bugs that can make their way into your home, but they are more often common in cotton farms, which means that if you have a boll weevil infestation in your home, it is a rather rare infestation that you would have to deal with hastily. The boll weevils are notorious for the level of damage they cause to growing cotton, and they can destroy cotton farms rather fast. Since they are often confined to your cotton farms, infestations at home happen by accident.
It’s also important to note that the female weevils will lay between 100 and 300 eggs in the cotton buds, fruits, barley, and rye, which is why infestation by these insects can be very destructive in farmlands. The good news is that these weevils will only breed in cotton plants, meaning that if your home doesn’t have any cotton plants, you can easily get rid of the menace.
How to get rid of boll weevils at home
| About Boll Weevils | |
| Boll Weevils | Black, brown, or gray weevils |
| Hosts | Cotton farmlands |
| Remedies (home) | Vacuuming, glue traps |
| Remedies (Farms) | Malathion (Organophosphates) |
Vacuum up the weevils
These 6mm small black, gray, or reddish-brown weevils with wings and a uniquely shaped snout can be easily eliminated through vacuuming. As mentioned above, boll weevils aren’t indoor bugs, meaning that their survival indoors is limited. Also, the only easy way for these weevils to get indoors is if they are carried in by your clothes. The good news is that they will not eat your clothes that are made of cotton because they only survive on actual cotton plants. So, if you have spotted a number of boll weevils scattered around your home, you’d want to simply vacuum them to end the invasion.
Vacuum all the spaces where you find the weevils, and also the rest of the house, just to be safe. You should also wash the clothes that could have come in contact with the weevils.
Don’t forget to vacuum the walls and also the furniture to avoid re-infesting your home.
Setting up glue traps
If you think that some other weevils could have gotten away, it might be wise to set up glue traps. The Catchmaster 72MAX Pest Trap or Catchmaster TRTD11367 288i Trap, for example, is an effective ready-to-use weevil trap that is free of pesticides. It effective in trapping weevils, and you only need to remove the protective glue trap paper then set it in place in places you may have seen the weevils. Keep monitoring these traps to check if the Boll weevils have been captured. If there are some weevils captured, dispose of the traps as directed to get rid of the insects.
Purge the pantry
To get rid of Boll weevils and other kinds of weevils, purge and clean out the pantry, getting rid of unsealed dry foods, as well as the pre-packaged food pouches. Toss the bags around and ensure that they are clean and sealed.
Getting rid of boll weevils in farmlands
The most effective solution for getting rid of boll weevils in cotton farms is using insecticides that kill these weevils. Given the level of damage that these insects can cause, you’d have to act fast and aggressively to end the menace.
Malathion organophosphate 57% is one of the most effective ways of eliminating boll weevils from the farmlands. Malathion 57% pesticide/ insecticide is one of the most powerful organophosphates that’s used on crops and on non-crops, killing Boll weevils, among other kinds of pests. Malathion is often used as a primary pesticide by professionals, which is why it is the most recommended approach for use in large areas, especially on croplands.
For the best performance, Malathion 57% must be calculated and used per acreage. Measure then multiply your farm’s area length, multiplied by the width of the farm, divided by the square footage. You need about 2-4 pints of organophosphate with about 200 gallons of water for every acre. Apply Malathion 57% a maximum of 3 times in a year, in 7-day intervals.
Conclusion
If you have spotted boll weevils in your home, you first need to deep vacuum your home. You could also set glue traps, and don’t forget to throw in the wash any clothes that may have come about the weevils.
FAQs
How did you come about the boll weevils?
Boll weevils are known for their devastating effects and damage on cotton production. Although these weevils cannot find their ideal food indoors, they hardly invade homes, which is why the only way for these weevils to invade your home is if they attach themselves to your clothes or your equipment, ending up in your house. Therefore, as scary as a seeming infestation may be, their presence indoors is often temporary because these pests cannot survive indoors.
Are boll weevil infestations serious?
Yes, these insects have been shown to cause severe damage to the cotton crops, and historically, they are believed to be the most damaging insects in cotton farms. But as mentioned above, you shouldn’t be afraid of the safety of your clothes or upholstery because, in as much as these insects love cotton, they don’t eat cotton fabrics. Unlike cloth moths, the boll weevils only eat straight from the plants, and the accidental invaders aren’t a threat to human health or your home.
