Dire Threat Season

[Ron Gatrelle]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Cherubini" <monarch at saber.net>
To: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2001 1:25 PM
Subject: Dire Threat Season


> Eight days ago I made the following prediction on this list:
>
> "Despite the high monarch population, we can be almost certain
> that doom and gloom "monarchs are facing dire threats"
> type articles will soon appear in major newspapers across North
> America."
>
> Today the following article appeared in a Florida newspaper:
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
> Spray may imperil monarch butterfly
> By JULIE HAUSERMAN
> published August 27, 2001 St. Petersburg Times
>                                                        .
> TALLAHASSEE --This year, several U.S. butterfly researchers say,
> the massive monarch migration could face a threat here in the Florida
> Panhandle, where the state is aerially spraying an insecticide
> called Dibrom to kill mosquitoes that can carry the West Nile virus.
>
> "It could be devastating," said Karen Oberhauser, an entomologist
> from the University of Minnesota who has studied monarchs for 17
> years. "The migration is a key link in a chain. If something breaks
> that chain -- like mosquito spray that's going to kill them -- there
> won't be any monarchs to rebuild the population."
>
SNIP

> The state official in charge of the spraying, Steve Rutz of the
> Department of Agriculture, said the state is using an extremely low
> dose of the pesticide, which should have little effect on humans or
> wildlife.
>
> "I'm not aware of any data that shows that routine mosquito control
> activities are decimating the butterflies," Rutz said. "Ideally, you
> don't use mosquito chemicals at all, but in this situation, we're
> looking at protecting public health. You can't say 100 percent of the
> butterflies won't be impacted, but if there are impacts, our
> experience shows they are very minimal."
>

Paul - Humans don't count. There are too many of us any way. Bugs and birds
are the animals that count whenever they are pitted against the needs of
humans. The risk of death to a one or two human kids or a few elderly (the
weakest) via West Nile Virus is totally acceptable.

Seriously, Just so no one misses Paul's main points.  First, is the truth
of his predictability relative to August to April horror stories to
generate interest in monarchs and funds into the "researchers" coffers.
Doesn't there come a point when someone has to acknowledge that there is at
least a little bit of truth and credibility in Paul's posts on this vein?
Second, this is about DISEASE and human well being. I am a big
anti-mosquito spray person. I have seen first hand the diminishing of leps
populations in the Florida Keys from the Mosquito Abetment Program there.
And, the rise in numbers when the heavy spraying was stopped. I am against
someone cutting off my right arm too - unless it has gang green and it is
necessary to save my stinkin life.

We do not live in an ideal little world - sometimes you have to use
pesticides - even DDT! Also, money - esp. millions - has a way of tempting
even the most honest person to skew the facts just a little (noble end
justifies the dishonest means). It is a very naive person who would blindly
trust those who have now made a career out of Monarchs.  Let me say this
too. I think some are anti-Paul just out of a type of mob mentality - not
reality. My heart goes out to Paul as a person. I don't know how he takes
it some times and never resorts to calling people names. The recent vicious
personal attack on him my N. Jones was appalling.  Paul only "fights" with
facts or purported ones - to me he has won as his opponents have not won
with fact for Paul's fact's (or misinformation) and now just resort to
character assassination. Well, you can flame me along with him I guess.
Ron

PS  Dr. Gochfeld you can give us some accurate info on mosquito spraying
and West Nile - we trust you.


 
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