I too am leery of the USENET thing...economies of scale seems to be a real issue here...how big does the list want to get and what does its growth mean...? Does anybody have a published reference to the impact of Apis mellifera introduction into the new world. A colleague would like to use this as a discussion topic in class...what impact on both native plants and native insects was generated by this introduction? There are several interesting questions/comments here; one is that the introduction is continuing with a wild population of Apis, the African bees...another is that here in Gainesville Florida a beekeeper has been given some notice that he might have to move off a preserve (Paines Prairie) because his honey bees are not natural and are upsetting the natural ecosystem of the preserve....the preserve of course has all kinds of unnatural organims including a small herd of Bison... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tom Sanford Extension Apiculturist University of Florida Mailing Address: Bldg 970, Hull Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611-0620 Voice phone 904/392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX 904/392-0190 INTERNET: [log in to unmask] BITNET: MTS@IFASGNV +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++