Some good point Lois, also the use of BT to control larvae. it works so well in my rain barrels.
It’s funny this thread should bring up this discussion as I was just reading that biologists have a genetically modified mosquito with “selfish genes” that potentially could wipe out all mosquitos in Africa and help make malaria a memory in just a few years.
Selfish genes will be contained in 99+% of all members of a species within 10-11 generations.
Malaria would still exist in the human population 20-25% of the population of Africa, but the mosquito vector would be eliminated.
Scott
1 Like
Now if only we can find a way to genetically modify the human g-nome to eliminate that “selfish gene”.
5 Likes
Hi Alan,
Here is what they spray. They are doing it again tonight and Sunday. They said there has been an increase in the culex skeeters.
Is this what you use or have used to spray on produce? (upload://lwPwp10YSyQrC1SJrMMVM0pFXOC.png)
Nothing is ever black and white. Anopheles mosquitoes are the favorite of the one celled malarial parasite. Our population is low here in the US. But these genes may only be compatible with one species. The parasite can switch species. Also if you have the cycle cell trait, which means it’s only one gene, not two, you may not ever show any symptoms, but these people are immune from malaria. The red blood cells which carry the trait (not the disease, well those too!) will cycle if the parasite enters the cell. Macrophages will then eat the cycled cell and kill the parasite. Macrophages are fixed in the liver and spleen, but also some forms roam freely through the blood. All remove old or damaged red blood cells. Red blood cells last 120 days and at that point are removed. So one never knows what gene will save the human race. Even a flawed gene may be the one.
No one would spray edible crops with petroleum distillates
The first paragraph explains that I don’t use that specific formula, but I have used other pyrethroids. I have no knowledge on the properties of the one they are using in your town, but I assume it is chosen for its relative safety. I’m just another person stating my hunch, but it’s not a very difficult diagnostic leap to assume the relative safety of this material.
Looks like the product has a label that allows it to be sprayed above many listed food crops:
"Aqua-Kontrol 30-30 can be applied to the air column over specific growing crops prior to harvest and range grasses for the control of adult
mosquitoes and biting flies within or adjacent to these areas. Application can be made where the following crops are present:
Alfalfa
Almonds
Apples
Artichoke
Asparagus
Avocados
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Celery
Cherries
Corn (field and pop)
Corn, sweet
Eggplant
Filberts (Hazelnuts)
Garlic
Horseradish
Lettuce
Onion, dry bulb
Papayas (FL only)
Peaches/Nectarines
Pears
Pepper, bell
Pistachios
Potatoes
Range Grasses
Soybeans
Spinach
Tomatoes
Walnuts
Cucurbit vegetables, including Chayote (fruit), Chinese waxgourd (Chinese preserving melon), Citron melon, Cuban pumpkin, Cucumber, Gherkin,
Gourd (edible, includes hyotan, cucuzza, hechima, Chinese okra), Momordica spp. (includes balsam apple, balsam pear, bitter melon, Chinese
cucumber), Muskmelon (hybrids and/or cultivars of Cucumis melo including true cantaloupe, cantaloupe, casaba, Crenshaw melon, golden pershaw
melon, honeydew melon, honey balls, mango melon, Persian melon, pineapple melon, Santa Claus melon, snake melon and Winter melon), Pumpkin,
Squash (includes summer squash types such as: butternut squash, calabaza, crookneck squash, Hubbard squash, scallop squash, straightneck
squash, vegetable marrow and zucchini, and winter squash types such as acorn squash and spaghetti squash), Watermelon (includes hybrids and/
or varieties of Citrullus lanatus).
Leafy Vegetables, including Leafy vegetables (except brassica), Amaranth (leafy amaranth, Chinese spinach, tampala), Arugula (Roquette), Chervil,
Chrysanthemum (edible leaved and garland), Corn salad, Cress (garden), Cress (upland, yellow rocket, winter cress), Dandelion, Dock (sorrel), Endive
(escarole), Lettuce (head and leaf), Orach, Parsley, Purslane (garden and winter), Radicchio (red chicory), Spinach (including New Zealand and vine
— Malabar spinach, Indian spinach).
Do not allow spray treatment to drift on cropland (other than crops listed) or water supplies.
In treatment of corrals, feedlots, animal confinements/houses, swine lots and zoos, cover any exposed drinking water, drinking fountains and animal
Ok, I’m just not very versed with the ins and outs and label reading with all this stuff. I didn’t go far enough I see.
I saw the petroleum distillates and that seemed rough for veggies and fruit. Another user on here said they shouldn’t use on edibles.
Idk. I’m gettin too far into this and not understanding enough.
I really appreciate all the info!
We need a specific emoticon or something for my favorite phrase: “The devil’s in the details”.
I’m no chemist (and we have a few around here somewhere) but I do know that not all petroleum distillates are harmful. Vaseline is the easiest example of one of the good ones. My problem is that with all the information out there, combined with my lack of training in the field, it’s hard to know what to listen too, much less what to believe.
But I do think that one needs to distinguish between occasional exposure and the kind of regular, day in, day out thing that people in the business have to deal with. I do approve of caution, but myself I’d probably take the chance and not let my good fruit go to waste!
1 Like
Never underestimate the placebo affect. If you believe something is good for you, it automatically is, same thing with bad. The weird thing about placebos is even when you don’t believe they work, if you go through the ritual of taking it or performing it, it appears that they have very measurable affect… This has been shown with positive reputation placebos so maybe the same thing happens (in reverse) when you take something you don’t believe is bad for you but you know others do. Now I’m making myself dizzy. Probably the result of pesticide exposure affecting my cognitive functioning. Damn placebo affect!
1 Like
That product isn’t made for using ON crops, as many permethrin products are. The label says it’s OK if there’s drift onto those crops, as opposed to direct application.
1 Like