St. Augustine, Florida was attempted to be settled in the 1520s.
Grapevines are still there from the original plantings.  The stock is the size of
a medium tree.  Cattle was released and the Indians would bring them back from
the grass lands of the interior area of Florida.  Honey bees were with this
lost settlement- I have been told.  I have not read the diary of the Governor,
Bradshaw(I think).  This means the first bees of this settlement would be from
Spain.
       Madoc 1170, Irish prince, that came to the Pensacola, Florida area.
This was in 1170ad and Indian records bring the date up 300 years.  The built a
rock wall in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area.  Moved north to the Ohio River
falls area were a final battle with the Cherokee Indians left few living.
They buried the Armor at this area and mixed with the Mandan Indians and moved
west.  Blue eyed, breaded, white skinned, and know for there spirit(soul).
Bible and language hand downs relate to Irish time of round boats that the Mandan
used.  A second group of 120 families brought all kinds of supplies and I have
not found the ships logs for bees.  Bees at that time were with the Monks of
the church.
       10-14,000 years ago with the Ice Age drawing the ocean shores down a
movement of whit Northern Japanese or Southern Korea moved alone the shores of
western North America.  They were in the Great Lakes Georgian Bay in 10-14,000.
This could also bring in a natural movement of honey bees into the America.
       None of the accounts bring the Columbus time movement of bees from the
English.
       Point in this is that some DNA really needs to be done to set Honey
Bees in North America before Columbus.  Then yes it should be the National
Insect.
       Michael Housel                         Orlandobee

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