The beetle eventually came to waste 8% of the country's cotton yield annually and thus disproportionately impacted this part of America's citizenry. As life in the South became increasingly difficult, African Americans began to migrate north in great numbers.
A beetle's annual consumption of 8% of the country's cotton led to a disproportionate impact on the citizens of this area. As living conditions in the South worsened, many African Americans moved north in significant numbers.