Does Bt Corn threaten any Rare Prairie Skippers

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

Interesting question. Perhaps those people who study/observe butterflies in
the cornbelt country can educate us as to what rare skippers actually live
in habitats surrounded by Bt corn.  For those with an interest in skippers
from this general part of the world, I recommend the following document:
Dana, R.P. 1991. Conservation Management of the Prairie Skippers Hesperia
dacotae and Hesperia ottoe.  Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station
Bulletin 594-1991. 63 pp.  An interesting report that can be ordered via the
web for only a few bucks.  These two species are apparently upland prairie
obligates and may be rare in some political jurisdictions.  They are
certainly local due to historical destruction of native grasslands.  So IF
large amounts of Bt pollen were to stick to grass blades and IF a skipper
larva were to accidently consume a large dose of pollen while eating the
grass; then one could predict some impact on that larva.  I would want to
see evidence that skipper larvae will consume corn pollen and then evidence
that there is a lot of Bt corn shedding lots of pollen on relict prairie
patches before I would have any concern for the two species noted above. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Kuhlman [mailto:rkuhlman at hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 1:11 PM
To: LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Does Bt Corn threaten any Rare Prairie Skippers


All the concern about bt Corn has been directed to the Monarch so far. I was

wondering if any of the rare prairie skippers could be impacted by this 
genetically manipulated product. It would seem due to their much smaller 
population sizes and restricted ranges, some skippers might be potentially 
at danger.

Roger Kuhlman

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