Impacts of a measure of square quality (oviposition punctured or uninfested) and frequency of food replacement (daily or on alternating days) on reproductive development of adult boll weevils were investigated in a preliminary study. Boll weevils of each sex were supplied either a freshly collected, oviposition punctured or uninfested square, either daily or on alternate days under controlled environmental conditions. Males were relatively insensitive to feeding regime and no differences in reproductive parameters or fat body condition could be detected among groups. Reduced square quality or frequency of food replacement reduced the numbers of eggs and mature eggs produced, with frequency of food replacement having the most influence. These factors also combined to reduce the proportion of females producing mature eggs by 6 d of age. Mid gut examinations of 4-d-old weevils of both sexes indicated that occurrence of substantial feeding was reduced when squares were supplied on alternate days compared with a regime of daily square replacement. These data indicate that reproductive development of female boll weevils is subtly influenced by feeding regime. However, these relatively minor influences could introduce sizable errors into boll weevil reproductive biology experiments when combined with other suboptimal conditions.