From: "george seferiadis" "Metarhizium anisopliae kill certain insects by
invading the body and multipluing throughout. The insect dies from tissue
destruction caused by the proliferation of the fungus and the production of
FUNGAL TOXINS. Because of the danger of the fungal toxins contaminating the
environment, this strain of Metarhizium will have to pass EXTENSIVE safety
tests before any possible commerical application. I wonder how extensive
there research was?"

The UK has very tight standards on safety .  Fungi are already used to
control other pests (I believe). And presumably the toxins are formed within
the body of the mites - a very small bio-mass, so not a lot of toxin.  And
the bees would clean out any dead bodies that had not fallen thru a
permanent mesh floor.

Robin Dartington

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