In the beginning (1989), BEE-L was intended as a discussion group for
bee biology.  It was not solely honey bees, but ALL bees.  The
discussion dealt with NEW issues, not beekeeping issues.  It was a rich
group populated by researchers, most of whom spun off their own
discussion lists (SOCINSCT and BOMBUS-L to name two) when BEE-L was
taken over by "the beekeepers".  The closest you will come to the BEE-L
of old is Tom Sanford's APIS-L ([log in to unmask]).  I looked
over the APIS-L subscription list and discovered where the big boys
went.  Tom is very careful and wise to remind subscribers what is and
is not appropriate for discussion on his list, and is quick to direct
general beekeeping discussion to BEE-L.
 
For better or for worse, BEE-L has become a list populated by
beekeepers.  It would be useless to attempt to steer the list back to
its intended purpose, the horse has left the barn.  The issue of
splitting the list is a perennial issue raised by subscribers who are
new to the list since the last time splitting was discussed.  Anyone can
have a LISTSERV list, all it takes is a host site to sponsor the list
and a person to administer the list.  Want to split the list?  Go ahead.
Find a sponsor and be the administrator.  You may find that the wheel
you have is at least as good as the wheel you want to reinvent.
 
Aaron Morris - thinking splitting is for hives, not for BEE-L!