All, I was reading my e-mail last week, on the 17th to be precise, when I said to my wife: Andy (Nachbaur) has not posted or responded to anything in quite a while. Today, upon returning home from a weekend of birding I discovered the reason for Andy's absence. Wow! Our loss. Heavens gain. I'm sure he would have a comment about that one! I too have an Andy folder in my e-mail program. I also have notes and replies from Andy scattered throughout my bee subfolders. I just finished re-reading all that I could locate. I consider myself fortunate that I was able to see the "Old Drone" in action. That I was able to participate in threads in which he was involved was an honor. He was straight and to the point. Andy minced no words. I tended to agree with him more often than not. And yes, his posts were always read first. I will miss him. I may not have been in the woods when that oak fell, I didn't hear it fall but can see and feel the void that remains. That is all that I can add as others have done better at describing our loss than l could. Thanks for all of your insight, wit etc. You have helped me better understand the bees. "Now Andy did you hear about this one....." _ _ (o!o) Jeff Holbrook ((___)) [log in to unmask] ---"-"--- Canton, NY