Wipe Out Cocaine With Caterpillars

“BOGOTA,Colombia – A group of Colombian scientists believe they’ve found a way to wipe out cocaine production: unleash an army of hungry moth caterpillars. But critics of the proposal say the chance for “ecological mischief” is high.
The plan envisions breeding thousands of beige-colored Eloria Noyesi moths in laboratories, packing them into boxes and releasing them into steamy coca-growing regions of Colombia, the world’s main supplier of the drug. The moths, about twice the size of a fly, are native only to the Andean region of South America. “

“But the idea has already drawn criticism.

Ricardo Vargas, director of the Colombian environmental group Andean Action, contended that while the moths may be native to this region, there’s nothing natural about releasing thousands of them into small areas. The tropics have the world’s most diverse plant life, he said, so the moths would likely threaten other plants as well.

“With a plan like this, the chance for ecological mischief is very high and very dangerous,” Vargas said.”