Once again, and I hope for the last time... Advocating that dedicated electron microscopes be funded for the exclusive dedicated use of regional/local beekeeper groups is not at all practical. It is a little comical to think of, rather like keeping a Gulfstream jet crewed and on standby around the clock just in case one might decide to go on a weekend trip. The wizards, priests, and acolytes required to tend the equipment, speak the incantations required to get it to work properly, and interpret the imagery would all want pay checks, and they don't work cheap. It is rare to find a electron microscope facility that is dedicated to any specific effort. Nearly all of them are "shared facilities", jointly funded by all the groups that make occasional use of the equipment. > "Electron microscope observations suggest that sacbrood virus can > accumulate in the heads of infected adults ,with much of the > virus accumulating in their hypopharyngeal glands..." > (Bailey, 1969, 1968, via Dadant's "The Hive and Honeybee") > > We actually would know very little about virus > without the electron microscope. > > I learned the real virus research is done with an electron microscope. Yes, in the 1960s an electron microscope would have been one of few appropriate tools, but we now have molecular microbiology techniques - molecular markers, genetic analysis, and so on. Much cheaper/better/faster/gooder. Microbiological techniques make it possible to >>> screen <<< for viruses, where electron microscopes are not practical for screening, due to the expense and time required to prepare samples. Let's compare your circa 1968 quote with the summary of a more recent paper, one by Judy Chen, Jay Evans, and Mark Feldaufer, circa 2006: "Using molecular techniques, we have detected viruses in various tissues of honey bee queens, indicating a vertical route of virus transmission, where infected queens can transmit virus to their offspring. We also present evidence of a food-borne contamination route of virus transmission..." http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=19 1919 So, think "electrophoresis", rather than "electron microscope". The only possible modern use I could think of for an electron microscope in this context would be to look at the physical "attachment hardware" of the virus, which is sometimes of interest to those who might want to create anti-virals. Regardless, the complexity and expense of any electron microscope is such that even the US federal government, which is not at all shy about spending our tax dollars, hesitates to buy more than one unit for all of USDA to share in the rare event that such technology is needed. "Because few individual research laboratories have the facilities and personnel to support and maintain this equipment, centralization of support is a very effective means of providing electron microscopy broadly within an organization. This project supports the Beltsville Electron Microscopy Unit, which provides high quality and timely research support and collaboration with ARS scientists..." http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/projects/projects.htm?ACCN_NO=408528&showpa rs=true&fy=2005 But not to worry, the same project description cited above also says: "Obtain EM data on Varroa jacobsoni mite immuno virus, Bee Research Laboratory, Plant Sciences Institute." So anyone who needs such imagery will have it, and as the work will be done by the USDA, it will all be "public domain", free for all to use. > I was hoping a researcher lurker might step forward to share > (Diana Cox Foster maybe). Well, she can wander over to the shared facility set up by Penn State, over at the South Frear Building on the University Park Campus: http://www.lsc.psu.edu/stf/em/home.html It is not like it is hard to "get time" on a microscope, ya know. It is just that the cost of ownership is mind-numbingly high. ****************************************************** * Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at: * * http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm * ******************************************************