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.



 

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