On Mon, 22 Feb 1999 21:20:14 -0500, George Langford, Sc.D. wrote:

>My personal observation, unaccompanied by any epidemiology, is
>that the pesticide called "BT" (short for bacterial toxin) works
>wonders, because ever since it was used here in SE PA the few GM
>caterpillars that I have seen have been scrawny runts.

Actually, that's bacillus thuringiensis.  It's a bacteria that can be
genetically bred to attack any of a number of pests, including Gypsy Moths.
It doesn't affect anything but what it's targeted to hit and it's nontoxic.
It is extremely effective as long as it's sprayed at the right time (when
there's no rain in the forecast, most likely, and at the correct point in
the development cycle).  The DC and Montgomery County, MD authorities
sprayed it extensively from helicopters to very good effect in the past few
years.

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               Michael D. Sullivan, Bethesda, Md., USA
New Email address: avogadro@b... (also avogadro@w...)
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