> 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