Genetically Modified Moths Come to New York

A diamondback moth with altered DNA is being tested to control pests on cabbages.  If the experiment works, it could herald a new era for pest control.The insects in this case are diamondback moths, notorious among farmers as pests that cause $4 to $5 billion of damage a year worldwide. The moth especially likes to munch on Brassica plants, which include cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli. And it has become increasingly resistant to available insecticides. So Shelton’s cabbage patch in Geneva, New York, is the site of a long-awaited field test to see if genetic engineering could control the diamondback moths. The test began in August and will run until the cold starts killing the moths off.