[LEPS-L:7863] Re: [SoWestLep] Mexico expands monarch butterfly habitat

[Roger Kuhlman]

>Michael, your article on the North American Butterfly Association website
>was listed under "Hot Topics" (just above butterfly releases) and was about
>the impact of aerial mosquito spraying over the New York City from a
>butterfly conservation standpoint. In this regard you made the following
>statements:
>
>" It is not made clear to the public that these broad-spectrum insecticides
>  (Malathion, Sumithrin and Resmethrin) kill many other insects besides
>  mosquitoes. These include economically valuable insects such as
>  honeybees, praying mantids and ladybird beetles as well as conspicuous
>  and attractive species such as butterflies.The seductiveness of aerial 
>pesticide
>  spraying, devastating to butterflies and other non-target species...."
>
>to which I responded:
>
>"The problem here is that I don't believe the Professor [Michael Gochfeld]
>can bring any scientific references to the table to back up the claim
>mosquito spraying is typically "devastating to butterflies and other
>non-target species". If no scientific evidence is available to back up that
>claim, then it seems to me the NABA article IS misleading the public."
>
>to which you responded:
>
>" I actually studied this in Westchester County in the 1950's, and I may
>  even be able to find the note that was published about 40 years ago.
>  In fact it was the mosquito spraying that effectively put an end to my
>  butterfly collecting."
>
>Michael, the three mosquito adulticides you named above that were
>sprayed in New York ( Malathion d-phenothrin and resmethrin)
>were not even available back in the 1950's so there is no way you could 
>have
>data to back up your claim that these products are DEVASTATING
>TO BUTTERFLIES.
>
>So the statement you made about the impact being DEVASTATING was
>merely an OPINION, not a fact. This is misleading the public and brings
>us back to Mark Walker's original question and opinion:
>
>"The question is this:  is it wrong to propagate bad science and false
>information to secure goals which are ecologically high-minded and
>soundly altruistic?  I say YES."
>
>Paul Cherubini
>

Yes, Paul you are a real manipulator but maybe people see through it. I sure 
hope so.

Roger Kuhlman
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