Since the invasion of Southern California desert cotton-growing areas by the pink bollworm in 1965, attempts at its eradication have been unsuccessful. In Arizona (with a longer history of permanently established infestations of this pest) its severity under similar desert growing conditions has resulted in losses estimated at from $50-$75 per acre. In both states, available chemical materials have proven very costly and less effective than hoped for and they have prompted outbreaks of several secondary pests.

Some of the preliminary phases of this study were supported in part by funds provided by Cotton Producers Institute. General support for the program described was assured by the funding in the late summer of 1969 of a budget of $43,000 drawn from the California growers' bale tax monies administered by the California Department of Agriculture.