The Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation (TBWEF) has operated a boll weevil eradication program in the Southern Rolling Plains (SRP) of Texas since the fall of 1994. Despite secondary pest outbreaks, poor weather conditions and legal problems the eradication program has been successful in making the boll weevil a non-economic pest in the SRP. Although a number of ways exist to evaluate the program, this paper will focus on the impact of the program at the field level in fields that have been in a scouting program since 1994.

Adult boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, and boll weevil damaged squares declined every year except 1997. Insecticide costs as well as insecticide applications for other pests increased rapidly in 1995 and then declined except for a slight increase in 1997.

Program alterations in 1996, weather and legal problems can explain the results in 1997. We discuss the impact of these program changes and the effect on producers fields and the eradication program.