Bob I wish we had a list of the top five candidates, but we don't. We've a bit more information about what its not, but even that is based on inadequate information, mostly from surveys -- because we mainly catch this thing after the colonies have crashed and the bees are gone, because beekeepers won't tell us that they have a problem - so we can't get samples, and because people spend more time and energy making guesses about causes CCD and listing all of the reasons about why they have the answer, than they do on filling out surveys, volunteering to take samples, and other activities that might help us sort this out. My apologies for being blunt, but it takes little effort to hold forth on a favorite theory, much more to do something about the problem. If everyone on this list would skip one day of on-line time on Bee-L and use that time to fill out a survey (_www.beesurvey.com_ (http://www.beesurvey.com) ), I could at least get enough input to more reasonably rule out some of the possible causes -- but I'm not basing recommendations on a hand full of inputs. So far, I have an insignificant number of returns to make any meaningful declarations. But the early returns certainly contain some hints that may or may not prove out. But if I tell you too much before getting any more returns, I will bias the outcome as people fill out survey to either prove me right or wrong. I'm focusing on surveys because they could provide immediate insights. In theory, the only time constraint is how long it takes people to download, fill out, and mail back or fill out on-line - which shouldn't take more than an hour or so, even for large beekeepers. I'd like to see an avalanche of surveys by this coming Wednesday - but I have no control over that. All of the bee equipment suppliers and national associations have promised to help distribute surveys - but it can happen now, if the list were to respond, and if every member of this list would contact beekeepers who don't belong to the list. In fact, the computer literate members of this list could down load forms for those who don't use computers. The disease (virus, nosema, amoeba, fungi, etc.), chemical (disease produced, pesticide, beekeeper introduced, industrial), and other lab-based tools and procedures that we are using are on a bit of a witch hunt, which mean we have some specific ideas that so far haven't been revealing any smoking guns, and lots and lots of other candidates, some known, some suspected, and some unknown to look at. Remember, we were only in CA a week ago, and comparing east coast with west coast samples is critical. The initial wave of CCD in the east revealed lots of things, like the fungi that Dennis suspects, but we need time to see if its in the colonies on the west coast -- at least those that did were not transported from the east. So, it will take time, and it will cost money for the disease and chemical work. The survey work could be done in less than a week, if beekeepers were to respond. That in my mind is the fastest way to narrow the field of possibilities - at least as far as management practices that may either mitigate or may induce expression of the CCD. Jerry <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---