Bt pollen and the little guys

[Paul Cherubini]

Anne Kilmer wrote:

> She is concerned, among other things, about the possibility of  genetic
> damage among the Monarchs that survive their childhood sublethal dose of
> Bt corn and survive to spread their tainted seed among the world's
> Monarch gatherings in Mexico.

How well have wild monarch populations been doing since
last summer when 30% of the corn crop was planted in Bt corn? Reports are now
coming in on the dplex-list of unusually large numbers of monarchs 
returning from the overwintering sanctuaries in Mexico. Below is one example
from Jim Edson, a regional coordinator for the Monarch Watch:

Subject: Arkansas Monarchs
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 12:04:18 -0600
From: Jim Edson <edson at uamont.edu>
Reply-To: dplex-l at raven.cc.ukans.edu
To: Monarch Watch <dplex-l at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
CC: science list <science at mail.k12.ar.us>, seasta list <seasta at uamont.edu>,
     Mon-Ark <Mon-Ark at uamont.edu>

I've been putting out pots of Mexican milkweed (_Asclepias curassavica_)
today (03/26), and I have seen dozens of monarchs out flying around.
The females are laying eggs like crazy and the males are fighting each
other for territory. I just cut off the dead branches of last year's
milkweed, and some of the females are laying eggs on them. I've never
seen so many around here in the spring before. 
--
James (Jim) E. Edson, Ph.D.     Professor of Geology
School of Math & Science        Ark. Monarch Watch Coordinator
Univ. of Arkansas at Monticello Monarch Hotline 800-844-1054
Monticello, AR 71656-3480       870-460-1966 (office)
Lat: 33.35 N,  Long: 91.48 W    870-460-1316 (FAX)
email: edson at uamont.edu         www.uamont.edu/~edson/welcome_page.htmlx