I'm curious about the science behind the potential for an expected development of neonic resistance in insects.

Nicotinoid receptors in humans are similar to those in the insects that the modern neonics are acting on.

When humans develop "resistance"....it's what happens to smokers who have trouble "kicking the habit".  Their receptor physiology adapts.  Those neural and muscle receptors that are sensitive to nicotine change; the threshold for response to acetylcholine (the natural ligand for the receptors) goes down (or up in some cases), and eventually it takes more nicotine to get the same "kick".  Ergo, "dependency".

I wonder if and when insects "tolerate" the neonics, the best thing to do would be to make them go "cold turkey" and take the neonics away!!

Anyone out there with some science input on this?

Christina

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