Pesticides and Frogs

by
Julie Froehlig
Scientist

METHOPRENE is a PESTICIDE that is used to control mosquito populations. It doesn't kill mosquitoes, but instead it stops the insect from growing up and reproducing.

Like other pesticides, methoprene was tested carefully to make sure it would not hurt animals and people. It passed the tests and is now widely used.

Now, some scientists are wondering if methoprene is linked to frog deformities like the ones found in Minnesota. Although scientists have not been able to produce these deformities with methoprene, they still think it may be important to the deformed frog mystery. As you will see, methoprene is similar in structure to a type of HORMONE that has been shown to cause deformed LIMBS .