In some parts of the boll weevil's, Anthonomus grandis grandis (Boheman), distribution from the United States to Argentina, insecticides are applied after cut-out when bolls are the predominant stage of fruiting body. This field study demonstrates that the standard spray regime in South Texas, which involves insecticide applications after cut-out, did not result in more bolls than in a nontreated control. An alternative “proactive” spray regime that focuses on protecting large squares before cut-out resulted in 1.9- to 2-fold more bolls in the lower half of the canopy than the control. The percentage of damaged boll carpals was 2-fold greater in the standard treatment lower canopy than in the proactive treatment, and the percentage in the control was 1.8-fold greater than in the standard treatment at one of the two experimental field locations. Percentage of damaged carpals in the proactive treatment upper canopy was 1.5-fold greater than in the control at the other field location. In the control and standard treatments, percentages of upper canopy clean bolls were lower than or not different from percentages of bolls with 1, 2, 3, or all carpals damaged, but in the proactive treatment, percentage clean bolls in the upper canopy were mostly greater than percentages of bolls with 1, 2, 3, or all carpals damaged. Reasons for the lack of effectiveness of the standard treatment and the benefits observed in the proactive treatment are discussed.