G'morning IRis, Clint, Mattie and all.. I just love odd news items that have a practical and improbable twist. Here's one fresh off the press. With no disrespect intended, I've also never heard the name Beerwinkle, one can only speculate on its inspiration!
"Flower Scent Can Help Kill Pests
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Researchers in Texas are looking for a
patent on an artificial flower scent that, coupled with an
insecticide, can help lure and kill moths that prey on cotton and
corn.
By using the artificial smell of the night-blooming Gaura plant,
entomologist Juan Lopez and agricultural engineer Kenneth R. Beerwinkle at College Station, Texas, were able to attract corn, earworm and bollworm moths, which rely on the scent of plants to locate their favorite foods.
These moths, which feed off corn and then move onto cotton, cost farmers nearly $2 billion in losses and chemical control expenses each year.
After being attracted to the plant, the moths ate a fatal dose of carbaryl, a commonly used household insecticide. In a field study, 730 of the pests were killed in a 54-foot row of corn. More dead moths
were found on the second night after treatment."
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