Insects As Weapons

An anonymous reader writes "Timothy Paine, an entomologist at the University of California-Riverside, recently 'committed to the scientific record the idea that California's eucalyptus trees may have been biologically sabotaged, publishing an article [in the Journal of Economic Entomology] raising the possibility of bioterrorism.' Specifically, Paine argues that foreign insect pests have been deliberately introduced in the Golden State, in hopes of decimating the state's population of eucalyptus (especially the two species regarded as invasive, which 'are particularly susceptible to the pests.') In California's Bioterror Mystery, Paine (and scientists who are skeptical) make their arguments. What isn't in dispute is that the insect pests have already inflicted hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, making the story a cautionary tale about what might happen if a food or crop were intentionally targeted."

What about the koalas?

[Kittenman]

If the eucalyptus trees go, then California's koala bear population will also be decimated. This is dreadful news.

So...

[msauve]

does this mean cough drops will get more expensive?

Exodus

[Nethead]

..what might happen if a food or crop were intentionally targeted.

The Israelites go free?

Can't figure it out

[PaddyM]

It seems like every time I go to Australia to bring back a control insect, there's another insect that's not affected by the control that appears on the loose. Almost like there's a fly on the wall in my strategy meetings. Or a bug in my luggage.

From the article, it doesn't sound like they looked at other possibilities; suppliers which typically travel from Australia to LA, and maybe declining quality standards there. Maybe these other pests were dying off because of competition from the first set of pests and once the controls are introduced, the old set of pests (continuously arriving through incompetent shippers) are able to reestablish.

But I think it's an issue well worth talking about.

Re:could be eco terrorism

[Nefarious Wheel]

You've got japanese beetles?

We've got this natural predator of the japanese beetle here in Australia, called the Cane Toad. Let us know if you want a few million or so.

Re:could be eco terrorism

[snspdaarf]

Already have them in Florida. Why would we want cane toads that try to drink all our beer?

After reading the header, anyone else thinking....

[Lord_of_the_nerf]

.....that someone had fashioned some sort of bee gun?

I have a vision!

[geekprime]

Of a shotgun that fires spiders, less lethal shells use wolf spiders and the lethal shells use black widows.

*shudder!*

Re:could be eco terrorism

[uninformedLuddite]

You should be thanking them. I would have thought that even cane toads would have turned their noses up at American beer.

Re:could be eco terrorism

[PopeRatzo]

We've got this natural predator of the japanese beetle here in Australia, called the Cane Toad. Let us know if you want a few million or so.

Forget it. I've been to Australia and half the wildlife there is poisonous. Visited a friend who lives on the edge of a big national forest and we were walking along and he started telling me what to look out for.

I ended up locking myself in my room and lying in the fetal position until it was time to fly back to Chicago. I mean, Australia's a great place, great people, but until you kill off all that poisonous wildlife, forget about it.