Hi Kiyoshi / and everyone else, I have posted this to the list in case
anyone else has any ideas,
 
I write trembling in case my English is not up to the standard required
for this list!
 
My lab is involved with the distribution and evolution of Ty1-copia
retrotransposons and the role these elements have in the evolution of
eukaryotic genomes.
 
Currently I am trying to develop these transposons as markers for
genetic mapping studies, and using the amalysis of the populations to
determine the relatedness of differrent species, and differrent
isolations of the same species
 
I am using a PCR based approach to look at  Ty1-copia retrotransposons
in plants. We use regions of the reverse transcriptase gene which is
conserved accross the whole plant kingdom, and have recently discovered
another region which is conserved throughout the plants and also through
insects to the reptiles and amphibians. I should be able to test for
sure wether Ty1-copia retrotransposons are present or absent in
honeybees quite easily using this approach.
 
I have access to bees, but have you (or anyone else out there) got a
quick method for the production of a small amount of PCR grade DNA
from a handful of bees.
 
Thanks
Steve Pearce (PhD)