Newly eclosed adult bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), feeds on carbohydrate from plants and other exudates before dispersal and reproduction. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not this nocturnal behavior could be used to attract the insect to a feeding-based attracticide mixed with a toxicant. Commercially-formulated abamectin (Agri-mek 0.15EC) was evaluated as a toxicant mixed with a 2.5 M sucrose solution against bollworm adults, relative to toxicity, mortality, gustatory and proboscis-extension response, and reproduction. Sublethal doses of abamectin at 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 mg litre^-1 fed to laboratory-reared females within 24 hours of emergence significantly reduced by 10–73% the percentage of eggs that hatched as compared to females fed sucrose only. Mating frequency was significantly inhibited by 2–70% at 0.25 mg litre^-1 or more. A detailed examination of the effect of abamectin on toxicity, mortality, gustatory and proboscis-extension response, and reproduction of laboratory-reared and feral bollworms showed a potential exists for the use of this insecticide in a feeding-based adult control system. The dramatic decrease in fecundity and inhibition of mating frequency show a premise for the use of abamectin as a toxicant for suppression of bollworm adults.