2011 Update: Monarch Are Still Abundant On GMO Crop Farmland

[Paul Cherubini]

In recent days On dplex-list, Jim Ellis and Don Davis in Ontario, Denny Brooks in Michigan and Lincoln Brower in Virginia have been lamenting the lack of monarchs. However, there is one area of the country where monarchs are abundant. That area, ironically, is the GMO crop farmland of the upper Midwest.

On Aug. 29-31 I visited the GMO farmland of south-central Minnesota and found lots of monarchs nectaring on the flowers that grow next to the GMO crop monocultures:

Gibbon, Minnesota nectaring next to GMO soybeans:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315010450

Near Fairfax, Minnesota nectaring next to GMO corn:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315011097

Bird Island, Minnesota nectaring in a small alfalfa field that is surrounded by GMO corn and soybeans:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315011482

I also found many evening cluster sites containing 400-1000 monarchs in the small farm towns that are surrounded by GMO crops - that's many more monarchs than have been reported elsewhere in the USA and Canada this year:

Gaylord, Minnesota roost of 1,000 monarchs of Aug. 31:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1314998894

Near Gibbon, Minnesota roost of 400 monarchs on Aug. 31:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1314999558

Fairfax, Minnesota roost of 600 monarchs on Aug. 30:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315000063

Bird Island, Minnesota roost of 700 monarchs on Aug. 29: (300 of which were in nearby trees not shown in the video):
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315000511

Danube, Minnesota roost of 400 monarchs on Aug. 29:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315000935

These videos provide an eye witness account of how monarchs are actually more abundant on the GMO farmlands of the upper Midwest in late this August than anywhere else in the country. This is exactly the opposite of what many media articles have led the public to believe about the GMO farmland. Examples:

GMOs killing off Monarch butterflies, report finds
http://www.naturalnews.com/033170_GMOs_butterflies.html

GM crops decimating monarch butterflies habitat
http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/j ... abitat.php

"It kills everything. It’s biodiversity Armageddon," says Brower.

[Mona Miller]

How come I don't believe what you post? First, you put down scientists and tell people how your data is so much better. Second, you have posted misinformation in the past. Third, why in the world would I believe any thing that you post. Fourth, I don't. Fifth, I don't.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2020&start=0
This topic has many, many of Paul's posts that are so filled with misinformation. Continued from 2010, he should have said.

[blazing star]

You've already posted ample evidence that the remaining Monarch habitat is reduced to the lone tree stands in between farm areas. You don't need to keep saturating Monarch Watch with more evidence of how Monarchs get no use out of the GMO crop land. All of your videos already have convinced us how much monarch habitat is lost. Thanks, though, for trying to keep it in the forefront of our thoughts.

[Paul Cherubini]

You don't need to keep saturating Monarch Watch with more evidence of how Monarchs get no use out of the GMO crop land.

Journey North is also saturated with big roost reports from the GMO farmland. Like this one:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315585889

A great irony is that if today's monarch conservationists fail to recognize and appreciate the extra high numbers of monarchs that breed on the milkweeds that are found on GMO farmland then they will not be interested in protecting that milkweed from possible future destruction.

[Mona Miller]

Like the super strong herbicide sprays that drift over on those edges from all the herbicides that are now being sprayed because of the herbicide resistant weeds.

[blazing star]

I drove past Peoria yesterday and this was through a lot of corn fields. The absence of milkweed was notable. Mona, you're probably right. Now that GMO crops can withstand spraying of herbicide, the use is arbitrary and is killing milkweed populations. Very disturbing.

[Mona Miller]

Disturbing for us, too. Those stronger herbicides (chemicals) and pesticides end up in the food chain (our food).

[Paul Cherubini]

Claims of "notable lack of milkweed" and "stronger herbicides" are unsubstantiated unless backed up with photographic or other physical evidence.

Beware of double standards; i.e. requiring photographic or other physical evidence of no harm from the biotech and ag chemical companies, but not requiring this physical evidence from the people who claim the products are causing great harm.

[Mona Miller]

I don't have any photoshopped pictures. But, I have posted this information over and over. You just refuse to believe it because if you did and had a conscience you might just feel bad about all the crap that you have been posting.

[blazing star]

Paul, photographs are not evidence, even in this case. You really need to get a grip on what constitutes evidence. This is why your "evidence" can be disregarded so easily and simply. You have a very loose definition for same.

[Paul Cherubini]

I don't have any photoshopped pictures.

As I said before, I don't either. I am now concentrating on videos. Here are my latest two videos of the abundant monarchs AND BEES right next to the vast pesticide treated monocultures of GMO corn and soybeans in northern Iowa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LT_8Bt9RY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrvwUT29NN4

I have a new video camera arriving this afternoon that will enable me to get sharper videos and to get closer views of the bees, butterflies and caterpillars.

[Mona Miller]

Paul,

You don't tell the truth. Why should we believe any thing you video tape?

[Paul Cherubini]

Paul, Why should we believe any thing you video tape?

Because a videotape records sight and sound. To not believe a videotape is like not believing anything your eyes see or your ears hear. In my video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LT_8Bt9RY you can see and hear the bees and hear the crop duster in the background. At Pocahontas, Iowa, there are even crop duster billboards like this one:
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/4ALC/poca.jpg
Yet monarchs and pollinators are abundant in Pocahontas despite the spraying. It is very, very, very hard for city folks to understand how this could be possible.

[Mona Miller]

Video tapes can be edited. My son has done that. We have a digital video recorder.

[Paul Cherubini]

Video tapes can be edited.

I don't have any video editing software. Even if I did all it is used for is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_editing_software
"trimming, splicing, cutting and arranging clips across the timeline." "most consumer and professional NLE systems alike now include a host of features for colour manipulation, titling and visual effects, as well as tools for editing and mixing audio in conjunction with the image."

So while sound and color can be inserted into a video it is not possible for me or anyone to insert the butterflies or bees themselves into this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LT_8Bt9RY or change the behavior they are displaying (an abundance of them nectaring from plants that are growing next to GMO crops).

[Mona Miller]

But it is possible for you to say you are one place and you are not there. Even if you have a sign saying the location, that could be inserted.

[Paul Cherubini]

But it is possible for you to say you are one place and you are not there. Even if you have a sign saying the location, that could be inserted.

Landmarks in my videos can be matched with landmarks found on GoogleEarth images to verify the authenticity of the claimed locations. Example: Here's a still image screenshot of a portion of my Pocahontas, Iowa bee video http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/4ALC/pocab.png that shows the highway number, the city of Pocahontas in the background and the trees on the Pocahontas Golf Course, all of which can be verified by looking at the comparable GoogleEarth image.

[Mona Miller]

You know the story about the boy who cried "Wolf!" Well that's you now. You have cried GMO, pesticides, and herbicides so many times that we don't believe any thing you have to say. Your reputation has been tarnished. I see you post this misinformation all over the United States.

[Paul Cherubini]

You have cried GMO, pesticides, and herbicides so many times

What specifically does "cried GMO so many times" mean? You talk in generalities instead of specifics; e.g. you say "I lie", "I photoshop my pictures" etc., without identifying specifically the untruth I alledgedly told or what photograph I alledgedly faked.

[blazing star]

She's just following the tone of your posts, Paul. You speak in generalities all the time by posting a picture of a monarch near a GMO field and then saying they are abundant there. That's the whole crux of how you post. She's returning the favor. Enjoy the ride.

[Paul Cherubini]

On Sept 22, 2011 Dr. Chip Taylor wrote: "The surprise is the eastern Dakotas and western MN. This area seems to be the source of a large number of the monarchs moving through the lower midwest at this time. http://monarchwatch.org/blog/2011/09/mo ... status-12/

This map shows how the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota are both in the heavy glyphosate (e.g.Roundup) herbicide zone: http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87 ... dupmap.jpg

This map of Fall Roosts from Journey North shows how the roosts in Aug and Sept.2011 were found predominantly in the heavy glyphosate herbicide use zone:
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/4ALC/roost.jpg

Milkweed, monarchs and monarch nectar flowers are still very abundant along the perimeter edges of the GMO farmland in the upper Midwest, hence, that's why there are so many reports of roosts from that farmland. If the public is not educated about this fact then they will not be interested in conserving those edges. So far I have been the only person who has been going out to this farmland and taking pictures to help educate the public about the great abundance of monarchs that still exists on GMO farmland along the perimeter edges.

[blazing star]

Poor Paul. Continuing to live in his land of faulty (or should I say no) logic. He asserts that merely the sight of a monarch flying over a GMO field means that GMO fields are good habitat for monarchs. He neglects to mention that the heavy herbiciding of GMO crops has eliminated an enormous volume of milkweed from the crop margins thereby reducing monarch numbers and putting this insect in peril.

Chip Taylor says so himself:

http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/j ... abitat.php

Chip Taylor surmises that 100 million acres of GMO crop lands now have no milkweed. No milkweed, no monarchs.

[Mona Miller]

All I know is Mr. Cherubini continues to post his poisonous information all over the United States on numerous list servs. Most people who are informed about the devastation caused by GMO crops and the use of roundup are shocked at what he posts. When these people try to respond, he continues to post that poisonous GMO information, videos, and pictures. The list servs become a forum for Paul and his poisonous agenda. This is not freedom of speech or even a legitimate discussion.

What are we learning from all these poisonous posting by Paul Cherubini? Absolutely nothing!!!

[blazing star]

I disagree. We have learned that profit (i.e. his financial condition) trumps truth. If he were a corporation, this would be a sufficient argument as to why we need government regulation. There are those that can set aside monetary gain and do the right thing but many do not. If he can't kill insects, he'll go broke. He, at least according to internet information, sells toxins that kill insects. He has never denied this when directly asked.