FYI - Bt Risk Negligible?

[Paul Cherubini]

How are monarchs doing after 5 years of exposure to Bt
corn pollen and the use of Roundup Ready soybeans?

Here are excerpts from a recent Rueters article:

Saturday December 1,  9:19 AM ET 

Mexicans See Banner Year for Monarch Butterflies

By Susan Schneider

SIERRA CHINCUA SANCTUARY, Mexico (Reuters) -
Mexico could see a banner year for its embattled
butterflies as millions of migrating monarchs begin
settling into the south-central mountains to spend
the winter, experts said this week.

This year, reserve biologist Eligio Garcia said there 
are reports that a large number of butterflies -- possibly 
around the peak 170 million that arrived in
1995-96 -- would flock to the protected reserve.

In the next month, when the colonies are stable, we
can begin taking data to know the population's size,'' 
Garcia told Reuters this week. But in the Sierra Chincua 
sanctuary, for example, last year there was one
colony and this year the reports we have show three 
colonies, which means at least twice as many butterflies, 
at least in this area,'' said Garcia.

Garcia disparaged talk that the butterfly migrations' 
days are numbered, saying the same message has been 
around during his nine years at the reserve -- and the 
butterflies are still coming.

 
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