>>Did you ever stop to think the small brood patches with fresh eggs/larvae you saw were not canabalized, but bees cleaning up dead young larvae from your treatment... This clearly was not the case. I had seen 3-4 cycles of honeybee canabalism (consistant with the atypical changes in outside temperature this winter) from mid-November to mid-January. My treatment took place in mid-January. I use 3.5% OA solution once a year. >>...what effect does it have on any nurse bees?... This would be a good research project. Summer nurse bees are somewhat different in age than winter nurse bees. >>...Effect the gut maybe for digestion problems also? If the 3.5% OA solution gives honey bees a case of indigestion, it seems to be temporary and not lethal. I am not suggesting OA is a honey-sweetened herbal tea... It is a much lesser evil vis-a-vis blood sucking mites and mite-vectored viruses. Waldemar -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---