Posted on Wed, 02/27/2008 - 12:25 — by warhater
The Bay Area is about to experience the aerial spraying of a chemical called Checkmate which is a plastic dust containing pheromones to eradicate the Brown Apple Moth a native insect of Australia. Before going any further I have to ask: If the object is to eradicate this pest assuming that spraying is the answer, what is to prevent the re-infection of the moth from imported foods from Australia? The way this pheromone is supposed to work is that it confuses the insect’s odor detection ability so that the male cannot find the female. My question is: What is to insure that the bees are not equally confused thus ruining crop production in all agricultural industries? Is the spraying of this pesticide to save agriculture really an example of agribusiness shooting itself in the foot?
http://www.1hope.org/chkmate.htm
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 340
A pheromone that would confuse a moth has no effect on a bee, ant, grasshopper etc. Inspection, detection, monitoring, and erradication efforts are on going jobs. It is done continually by the department of agriculture for several pests. You don't hear much about them unless there is an infestation. Gypsy moth, med fly, apple moth, and the glassy winged sharpshooter are all targeted pests. There are also plant pathogens that are of concern. One of the current biggies is Sudden Oak Death that impacts hundreds of types of plants from Oak trees to Rhododendrons and azaleas. To bring any plant material into California planted in soil you need an inspection certificate from the Department of Ag. Hawaii has a type of microscopic soil pathogen that could hurt Central Valley agriculture called nematodes. Every plant that is shipped from Hawaii to California is grown in a special "California Certified" greenhouse or shadehouse. Plants are not allowed to touch the ground and are grown on benches. I was there after a hurricane once and all the plants that hit the ground could then only be sold in Hawaii or other Countries. The average person is not aware of the infrastructure in place to protect our ability to remain the Worlds breadbasket. People may not always agree with the method but my experience is that most of the people involved in these programs are very conscious about evironmental effects and protection. Peas
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1
I was raised in Fresno, by a farm implement dealer. I understand the farming concerns, but I live in Pacific Grove now. We were the first sprayed and have been sprayed two times. I have lung damage from Valley Fever and I have asthma, but had not had an attack for more than three years. I became very ill after the spraying, suffering repeated asthma attacks along with flu like symptoms. These attacks began about two hours after hearing the planes over head. My husband had a primary asthma attack, but did not recognize it until the wheeze developed.
My asthma attacks did not improve. I left for two months, two weeks at a time, but always becoming ill again upon returning. Amazingly, I had no asthma problems while I was away, even the two weeks I spent in FRESNO with my sister. After two months my symptoms were better but not completely gone. There are other ways to control LBAM without spraying people trying to sleep in their homes. I know pheromones are used regularly. They are used in organic farming and I eat organics, but using a chemical and forced to breath it deep into your lungs is not the same thing. I'm all for "using pheromones for insect control" on fields. But I'm not an insect and I don't have any fields.
I agree "It is done continually by the department of agriculture for several pests" however, it's never been sprayed without our consent over urban areas AND with untested chemicals. I hope you don't have to find out the way we found out on the Monterey Bay.