You may want to talk to Dr. Yanping Chen, ([log in to unmask]) and/or Mark Feldlaufer ([log in to unmask]), who runs the Beltsville Bee Lab. Dr. Chen has done some impressive PCR work on not only mites, but the viruses transmitted by mites, between mites (via the bees they parasitize), and thereby to bees. The mites themselves are really nowhere near as nasty, or as interesting as the viruses. People have been blaming the mites for years for what may turn out to be 90% "viruses" and 10% "direct mite damage". If anyone has valuable views on what work would move the ball towards the goal, it would be this team. Here's their maling address: Bee Research Laboratory 10300 Baltimore Ave Bldg 476 BARC-East Beltsville, MD 20705 Phone: (301) 504-8749 Fax: (301) 504-8736 jim :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::