> To your 50 year comment... true, however we have not used the high-power, systemic pesticides until recently. 

I take issue with that statement. There simply is no evidence that neonics are "worse" than other pesticides. In fact, the opposite. I would rather use imidacloprid on my dog than sevin, or chlordane. 

Systemic insecticides are much safer for the applicators, and are specifically targeted to plant pests. They are not scattered over thousands of acres by crop dusters, nor do they appear to build up in lakes like chlorinated hydrocarbons and organophosphates. 

* * *

In the Great Lakes of North America bioaccumulation and magnification of chlorinated compounds in what is, on global standards, a relatively clean aquatic system, caused the disappearance of top predators such as eagle and mink and deformities in several species of aquatic birds.

Chronology of pesticide development (Stephenson and Solomon, 1993)

1800-1920s
Early organics, nitro-phenols, chlorophenols, creosote, naphthalene, petroleum oils
Organic chemistry, by-products of coal gas production, etc.
Often lack specificity and were toxic to user or non-target organisms

1945-1955
Chlorinated organics, DDT, HCCH, chlorinated cyclodienes
Organic synthesis
Persistent, good selectivity, good agricultural properties, good public health performance, resistance, harmful ecological effects

1945-1970
Cholinesterase inhibitors, organophosphorus compounds, carbamates
Organic synthesis, good use of structure-activity relationships
Lower persistence, some user toxicity, some environmental problems

1970-1985
Synthetic pyrethroids, avermectins, juvenile hormone mimics, biological pesticides
Refinement of structure activity relationships, new target systems
Some lack of selectivity, resistance, costs and variable persistence

1985-
Genetically engineered organisms
Transfer of genes for biological pesticides to other organisms and into beneficial plants and animals. Genetic alteration of plants to resist non-target effects of pesticides
Possible problems with mutations and escapes, disruption of microbiological ecology, monopoly on products

Source: Control of water pollution from agriculture - FAO

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm