Com esta pesquisa, buscou-se estabelecer um procedimento expedito que permita relacionar os índices de ataque do caruncho Collosobruchus maculatus F. 1775 com as percentagens de perdas de peso em sementes de caupi, (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). Para tanto, procedeu-se à infestação de sementes das cultivares CE-1, CE-2, CE-25, CE-31 e CE-218, com diferentes níveis de insetos adultos do citado caruncho. Os resultados permitiram constatar que o número de furos típicos feitos pelo caruncho C. maculatus, encontrados em amostras de 100 sementes de caupi, obtidas de lotes praguejados, relaciona-se com as percentagens de perdas de peso, através da equação Y= 0,2222 + 0,5042X, entre os limites de 6,08 a 28,10 furos.This investigation was carried out to find a rapid procedure that permits to relate the indexes of infestation by the weevil Collosobruchus maculatus F. (1775) with the percentage of losses of seed weight of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). As such, the seeds of the varieties CE-1, CE-2, CE-25, CE-31 and CE-218 were infested with adults of the above mentioned insect pest. The results led to the conclusion that number of tipical holes made by C. maculatus in the samples of 100 seeds of cowpea obtained from the damaged lots could be related to the percentage Posses of seed weight by means of the equation Y = 0.2222 + 0.5042X within the limits of 6.08 to 28.10 holes
