Re: SOC/BIO: Rifkins "worldwide moratorium"

From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Date: Wed Aug 02 2000 - 19:41:01 MDT


Brian D Williams wrote:
>
> From: "Michael S. Lorrey" <retroman@turbont.net>
>
> >No, since monarchs are not dependent upon corn for their diet,
> >there are many other crops being planted besides corn, as well as
> >wild growth in uncultivated areas.
>
> >Yes, and I suspect that areas that are overwhelmingly covered with
> >this GM corn would simply be flown around by the monarchs, much as
> >migratory waterfowl change their migratory routes to fit the
> >availability of wetlands.
>
> >I'm not sure. However, I have found from my own experience that
> >the Monarch Butterfly's primary diet is NOT pollen or leaves from
> >plants like corn, but they feed on animal dung. You heard it,
> >thats right, animal dung. During the monarch migration through our
> >area, I never see monarchs in cornfields. I do however see them
> >congregating en masse on piles of cow, deer, and moose dung. This
> >key fact in my mind tends to blow out of the water the claims of
> >the anti-GM bunch about a threat to the Monarch Butterfly. What
> >the GM corn IS a threat to is the Boll Weevil, which DOES feed on
> >corn, as well as cotton. However the fact that the anti-GM bunch
> >chooses to emphasise a marginal if not false threat to the Monarch
> >Butterfly, which most people like and think are beautiful
> >creatures, and ignore or deemphasise the threat to the Boll
> >Weevil, which most people will admit is a pest that is better off
> >on the endangered species list, fits in perfectly with my theory
> >of the 'Cute and Fuzzy' modus operandi of the Greens, which only
> >incriminates their personal as well as scientific integrity
> >(assuming there was any to begin with).
>
> Monarch larvae eat only members of the Milkweed family, adults only
> drink nectar.
>
> According to the Monarch sanctuary website, they enter a biological
> state during migration to conserve fuel, (2000 miles) so between
> that and the limitations of their instincts I think large scale
> avoidance unlikely.
>
> Don't let the facts get in the way though.....

Are there butterflies that look exactly like Monaroch butterflies, and
which migrate at the same time of the year as monarch butterflies???



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