At its inception in North Carolina, the Boll Weevil Eradication Program (BWEP) used ULV Malathion as its material of choice for the elimination of the boll weevil. This proved to be a safe and effective means to reduce numbers to the point of eradication. As the program spread to the rest of North Carolina and into South Carolina, no major problems were encountered with the use of Malathion. It had become a proven material and there was little reason to consider change. However, with the next major undertaking of the program, the states of Georgia, Florida and Alabama beginning in 1987, there was a change. There was a lower bid for the use of ULV Guthion as opposed to Malathion, thus for the initial diapause treatments in the fall of 1987, Guthion was used. This proved to be unfortunate for the program. There were considerable environmental consequences associated with the use of Guthion, including numerous reports of fish toxicity. After that experience, the program returned exclusively to the use of Malathion.