>> Jims answer was: "Superior Marketing Rationale"! Oh, now that's just freakin' great - I even get dragged into arguments^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h discussions I did not even know were in progress! Allen evinced some very clear thinking, in pointing out: > the mention of SMR in the piece in question does not > seem to relate to actual SMR or Harbo's work, but rather > [to] the posers who use currently exciting names, acronyms > and hype for marketing stock... Exactly. Danke, Allen. I was critiquing nothing other (and nothing more) than the marketing of queens and packages by vendors who have yet to have their products subjected to any sort of "crash test rating". I do NOT want to be MISrepresented as presuming to speak for Harbo. He is happy to directly reply to inquires from anyone who cares to ask him questions, and he makes presentations at all the usual meetings, so there is no need for me (or anyone else) to attempt to summarize his work or paraphrase his views. My personal view is that this photo, taken by Zack: http://photo.bees.net/gallery/varroa/mite_poop and the associated text is worth thinking about very very slowly in regard to SMR itself. Assuming that you reject "action at a distance" in the macroscopic universe of biological activity, it may be a big clue as to the extent of the mechanisms in play. jim -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---