RE: Thrips on Sarracenia !

From: Tom Massey (massey@hal.fmhi.usf.edu)
Date: Wed Aug 04 1999 - 12:19:21 PDT


Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 15:19:21 -0400
From: Tom Massey <massey@hal.fmhi.usf.edu>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg2807$foo@default>
Subject: RE: Thrips on Sarracenia !

Well gee, I wondered whether I should bother to respond to this, but what
the heck.

First, just so that we are all on the same page, what I have always called
thrips are small, about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.
 I don't know of any wasp that lays eggs on or in thrips; but hey, I could
be wrong.

Second, while I am sure you didn't intend to, you broadly characterize all
of us as addicted to the reckless and blind use of dangerous chemicals
because we are oblivious to the wonders of natural balances. Perhaps
instead, you meant to say that if someone were uncomfortable with the use
of malathion (my suggestion) or soaps (someone else's suggestion) they
might try a technique that you had found effective. You could then offer
the technique as an alternative.

Just a suggestion of course,

Tom biochemically peeved in Fl.

----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 1:32 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list

At the greenhouse at Humboldt State they use no pesticides. There are
thrips on the sarrs and there are also wasps that are thrip parasites.
They lay their eggs in a thrip. It isn't always pretty but it works in a
fine natural balance. We are addicted to quick fixes and the nonsense of
the fifties "better living through chemistry". There is ever increasing
evidence that pesticides are very harmful to all living things. They are
linked to lymphomas and much more. I have long been puzzled that this
list is so protective of cp's in the wild but often seems out of touch
with a larger picture.
Sylvia De Rooy



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