Boll weevil flight behavior was examined by tethering individuals to 16 computer-interfaced flight mills. Measured parameters included total flight distance, total flight duration, number of flights, flight speed, average flight distance, and average flight duration. Weevils were reared from infested squares and their flight behavior tested at different ages after eclosion. There were no significant differences between males and females for any of the flight parameters measured at any of the ages tested. For the first 5 days post-eclosion, flights were short in distance and duration, then increased to a plateau by age 9 d that remained relatively constant through age 28 d. Average flight speed varied little with age, ranging from 1.2 to
2.1 km/h, with the exception of 3 day old weevils, which flew significantly slower (0.5 km/h). Maximum recorded flight speed was 5.0 km/h. Flight behavior was tested using weevils exposed to the defoliant Def, the insecticides Guthion and Karate, and to combinations of Def and the insecticides. Statistical differences were not detected among treatment groups from any of the trials or combinations of trials for any of the boll weevil flight parameters calculated. However, because of high variation in flight behavior among individuals, much larger sample sizes will be necessary to fairly evaluate this question.