Tarnished plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), Cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and Tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Fabricus) damage cotton (Gossypium spp.) plants by feeding in the terminals and squares. Insect-day calculations were used to determine the effects of insect control on insect populations over time and the resulting fruiting characteristics of cotton during early season. Differences were observed between insecticide treatments in first fruiting node, sites per plant, number of squares per plant, and percent square retention. Interactions were significant for Lygus days X squares per plant, Lygus days X percent squares retained, and Heliothine days X percent damaged terminals.