Christina wrote:
> Roger Morse was one of your mentors

I already disavowed this statement. I am in the process of publishing a three part article on Roger and out of respect for him and his legacy I have included nothing negative. Anyone who expresses unvarnished opinions will no doubt acquire followers as well as deriders. However, Roger was not "pro-pesticide" especially when Sevin and later PennCap M caused serious losses. In any case, I offer some excerpts from an ABJ piece written by one of his actual proteges in 1972:

FROM the beginnings of the 20th century, and especially since World War II , the beekeeping industry has been confronted with the problem of bee losses through the use of chemical pesticides. Unfortunately, chemical control agents designed for the elimination of designated pest insects are only too often effective in destroying honey bees. 

There are nearly one million known insect species and it is estimated that there may be as many as one million additional insects which are as of yet undescribed. Of this tremendous number of animals only a few are serious pests to man and his agriculture. In the United States there are approximately 200 insect species which are considered as full -time pests. Another 400 to 500 species are what a re sometimes referred to as secondary pests which occasionally cause serious outbreaks of damage. 

Over 300 serious diseases of man are known to be carried by insects. Many of the world's most feared diseases such as plague, yellow fever and malaria are insect borne. Today we don't hear much of plague and yellow fever, at least not in the United States. One reason for this has been the adequate control of the insect transmitters of these diseases and as a consequence the subsequent drop in the frequency of these diseases. Malaria, before effective control measures were used on its mosquito transporters, infected 200 million a year throughout the world. Of this number, 2 million died annually. 

The beekeeper has benefited by modern agricultural methods. Large acreages devoted to a single crop have enabled the beekeeper to increase yields of honey. Large crops of honey would not be harvested if thousands of orange trees were not concentrated on relatively small acreages. Increased acreage for seed and crop production has called for increased and more effective pollination, which has assisted the bee industry. 

The beekeeper is in a position regarding pesticides where he is able to see its direct benefit to himself and the farmer, as well as its dangers if improperly used as an agricultural tool. 

Why Pesticides?
by D. MICHAEL BURGETT 
Department of Entomology, Cornell University 
American Bee Journal , April 1972

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