Greetings All esp Ellroy I would like to add a few points to the debate. Firstly Jerry mentioned that it is unusual to find people working on their own in the scientific community, and that it is almost impossible to work without the a large research group to help out. I can dissagree with this - as I am sure do many from eastern europe and other countries where funding is a valuable commodity. I know many scientists who have but one personal assistant and they produce many internationally published papers per year. This is how science should be, because if much of the worlds scientific spending power were spent this way, we would be far further than we are now. Hard work and enthusiasm are lost when one becomes beurocratised. Secondly, on the possibility of FGMO being shot down by Apistans makers, I would like to dissagree with that. Recently I had a private e-mail conversation with one of the manufacturers who mentioned that they needed many more tools to treat the mites so as to keep apistan viable. (IE rotate treatments) In this sense it is an advantage for the Apistan trademark holders to keep FGMO used as it prolongs the marketable life of APistan and hence the chances of recouping R and D costs. And given that many people will make a tax up with FGMO and also with Apistan, it is good to have both available. Just my two cents. Keep well Garth --- Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries 15 Park Road Apis melifera capensis Grahamstown 800mm annual precipitation 6139 Eastern Cape South Africa Phone 27-0461-311663 On holiday for a few months Rhodes University Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day! Interests: Fliis and bees Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way reflect those of Rhodes University.