I was just going to kill the slugs and go to sleep, but this news story just doesn't sit right with me.
Apparently parasitic wasps from Asia will be released in Canada to try to help control another introduced species: the ash borer. Of the little information given one sees a picture of a parasitic wasp attacking a lady bug and in another fool hardy statement they go so far as to predict that the introduction of a parasitic wasp will in some way protect property values.
Anybody smelling a rat the size of an elephant? Apparently the scientists are sure there will not be a problem... are these the few scientists left that are allowed to speak?
Now I'm not saying that the introduction of the ash borer in the first place, which happened accidentally, or more realistically hitched a ride on a ship over here, is a good thing at all. It's just that how many times has this turned out badly (introducing species to control other species).
So the parasitic wasp comes over and finds a new favourite food that turns out to be a very beneficial organism, and perhaps introduces some disease to some native wasps... all hypothetical stuff off the top of my head of course... and then we get to hear some moron say "nobody could have for seen".
Hopefully it won't be a cane toad sized unmitigated fiasco, but remember there are some moron Australians who think cane toads are great, and some even wanted cane toad statues in certain cities.
My spidey senses are a tingling, and me thinks that introducing foreign parasitic wasps might come back to sting you.
UPDATE!
Since posting this i have conversed with and upstanding entomologist, and he believes the plan to be a sound one... also doing some other research it seems that these wasps have been released in Michigan with moderate success and little negative consequences.
Ultimately the idea is that when a non native pest becomes introduced into an area where it has no natural predators it can thrive, and so introducing the predator can work in some situations. The other fact is that the ash Borer is a serious threat to Canadian forests. Dead forests are real bad.
I would say that the CBC story was pretty weak on facts and strong on flash. As a result i stand behind my original freak out. Probably best to not show a parasitic wasp attacking an insect that is not an ash borer, and don't confuse the importance of a healthy biosphere as something that can help maintain "property values".
Apparently parasitic wasps from Asia will be released in Canada to try to help control another introduced species: the ash borer. Of the little information given one sees a picture of a parasitic wasp attacking a lady bug and in another fool hardy statement they go so far as to predict that the introduction of a parasitic wasp will in some way protect property values.
Anybody smelling a rat the size of an elephant? Apparently the scientists are sure there will not be a problem... are these the few scientists left that are allowed to speak?
Now I'm not saying that the introduction of the ash borer in the first place, which happened accidentally, or more realistically hitched a ride on a ship over here, is a good thing at all. It's just that how many times has this turned out badly (introducing species to control other species).
So the parasitic wasp comes over and finds a new favourite food that turns out to be a very beneficial organism, and perhaps introduces some disease to some native wasps... all hypothetical stuff off the top of my head of course... and then we get to hear some moron say "nobody could have for seen".
Hopefully it won't be a cane toad sized unmitigated fiasco, but remember there are some moron Australians who think cane toads are great, and some even wanted cane toad statues in certain cities.
My spidey senses are a tingling, and me thinks that introducing foreign parasitic wasps might come back to sting you.
UPDATE!
Since posting this i have conversed with and upstanding entomologist, and he believes the plan to be a sound one... also doing some other research it seems that these wasps have been released in Michigan with moderate success and little negative consequences.
Ultimately the idea is that when a non native pest becomes introduced into an area where it has no natural predators it can thrive, and so introducing the predator can work in some situations. The other fact is that the ash Borer is a serious threat to Canadian forests. Dead forests are real bad.
I would say that the CBC story was pretty weak on facts and strong on flash. As a result i stand behind my original freak out. Probably best to not show a parasitic wasp attacking an insect that is not an ash borer, and don't confuse the importance of a healthy biosphere as something that can help maintain "property values".
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