FReepmail me to be added or removed to the ECO-PING list!
Posted on 11/14/2005 9:16:10 AM PST by GreenFreeper
Nothing all that new but is worth repeating.
FReepmail me to be added or removed to the ECO-PING list!
I was looking for the first person to say this. Try reading the article.
I was going to say that but thought I'd start the week off being nice, lol.
some more on DDT
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1518764/posts
It's near to impossible to do yardwork here in FL in the summer. I now use Deep Woods Off, which didn't work a few years back. It's the only product they sell which keeps me from being bitten to death outside. I don't think our public works sprays enough to keep these new daytime tiger mosquitos from swarming bigtime.
I think the world's mosquito problem is just one of complacency. Third world countries don't spray, don't seem to be as good at trying to keep the spread down. Of course malaria, dengue and other mosquito-spread diseases are on the upswing.
I was just thinking I could have been more diplomatic.
Forgot to mention: it is frightening that these bugs are becoming stronger and resisting a lot of the insecticides. I guess we are in for super-bugs very soon.
Obviously some mosquitoes have always had a resistance to insecticides, or there would be no mosquitoes. If you keep killing the mosquitoes that have no resistance, and let the resistant mosquitoes keep breeding, than eventually you will have all resistant mosquitoes. This is a very basic form of genetic manipulation (the law of unintended consequences?) that should have been recognized a long time ago and dealt with. Using one pesticide as a one-size-fits-all solution just because it is cheap will produce predictable results.
The transgenic approach might work but what will all the single females do, become lesbians?
bbbbbut, I thought DDT was the solution to all of our problems? /sarcasm
thanks for ping. Was hopeing this DDT issue could have a happier ending. Petrochemical companies, bring it on! We need new generations of really cleverly designed insecticides. Whatever that really means.
LOL. Transgenic crops are one thing but transgenic tinkering with animals seems pretty dangerous to me, especially with a vector species.
The mortality rate for human beings is @ 100%
This cannot be increased
The article says that scientists have discovered that mosquitoes in Cameroon have developed resistance to DDT. Since they have even determined the particular mutation that causes this resitance, I would tend to believe them and not you.
The wikipedia article on DDT also discusses resistance.
Or are you saying that DDT is being used in this location?
Yes
Use of DDT would have caused the loss of any aid or support to that country.
Apparently not. The wikipedia article also discusses the "ban" on DDT and apparently there is not a total ban on international use. It quotes the USAID website as saying " Contrary to popular belief, USAID does not “ban” the use of DDT in its malaria control programs."
I have read recently that African countries are experimenting with indoor spraying of DDT for malaria as they think that this will be easier to implement and have fewer environmental effects than widespread outdoor spraying.
BTW I once worked in a lab where a breakdown product of DDT was applied to rats. It definitely had negative health effects on them.
but I thought DDT was the greatest breakthrough since penicillin? /sarcasm
Interesting! I don't like to wear anything that might weight me down though...! It's too hot here in FL in the spring/summer/fall but the skeeters are murder. So far, the OFF seems to work effectively.
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