The on going fireside chat at our house is how to achieve responsible  pesticide use. I agree with Aaron that camphos or any other pesticide will be mis-used by some. It's human nature to think a little more or a little longer is better. Technology should be developed to make a dye that would fade at the same rate a chemical's active ingredient breaks down, similar to the dye used on chemically treated seeds. This could be incorporated into sprays & would allow the consumer to see which areas have been treated & avoid them if they so  desire.

Would it force farmers to be more responsible if their pesticides where colored with a non-staining purple dye? Would muncipalities be more aware of drift & the location of beehives if the Malathon were dyed blue? Would the consumer be more aware if he passed red cotton fields & his lawn was magenta for 3 days after the lawn care service treated it? Would mothers be so quick to let the kiddies go play on it an hour later?  Would beekeepers be as inclined to over use chemicals in the hives if they opened them & saw pink bee foot prints throughout the frames? When they did use a chemical would they be more conscientious about removing the chemical before honey flow? Pesticide mis-use occurs largely because it's not seen.

When most of us were younger lawn chemicals & even the kitchen bug spray were labeled with a scull & crossbones. Now the kitchen bug spray comes in a pretty blue can with a picture of a gleaming white kitchen on the front. A popular bug spray advertises with cute little cartoon bugs. Training the next generation? I believe that this has all given the consumer the impression that these chemicals pose no hazard to them or the world they live in. The attitudes expressed about camphos seem to confirm this.

Surely the technology exists to put a bio-degradeable dye into the active ingredient in these products to increase awareness of how & where these chemicals are used. Maybe beekeepers, with their vested interests in keeping their bees alive,  should start investigating this possibility.

Ed Parker
Serenity Gardens