Corn farmers will be able to use these new transgenic corn hybrids
that do produce their own insecticide. The will express a protien
that that is toxic to many Lepidopterous insects, larvae of some
species of moths and butterflies. The protien is normally produced by
a soil bacteria, _Bacillus thuringiensis_. This particular protien is
highly selective and acts as a stomach poison for those insects just
mentioned. Here at UK and other universities they have looked at the
effects on other insects (non lepidopterous) that feed on the pollen and
to my knowledge have found no effect. Currently, these new
trangenetic hybrids are all field corn types, not sweet corn.
     In my opinion, this should have a positive effect on honey bees.
There should be less application of broad spectrum (read that as
potentially more toxic to honey bees) insecticides on corn during
pollen shed. Hopefully, fewer losses by beekeepers like yourself.
     As for the trangenic soybeans, these are tolerant to the
herbicide Roundup. Growers using these new varieties would be more
likely to use one or two applications of this herbicide during the
growing season.
Ric Bessin
Extension Entomologist
Department of Entomology
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0091
 
(606) 257-7456
FAX (606) 323-1120
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