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.
The beetle's annual impact on the country's cotton production had a significant effect on the citizens of this region, particularly African Americans. As living conditions in the South deteriorated, many people began to migrate north in search of better opportunities.