In a message dated 97-12-03 03:51:04 EST, [log in to unmask] (Winston Sweatman) writes: <<I was interested in Allen's reference to Fire ants having apparently recently developped the routine acceptance of multiple queens. I wonder can anyone expand on this topic. How recently is recent. >> I've been hearing about them for about 3 years now. They have established along the Gulf Coast. Apparently they are not yet around here. Folks are horrified about the possibility of a half-acre fire ant nest that is all one colony. They are bad enough as-is here now. Has anyone done any studies of the effect of the fire ants on ground-nesting solitary bees? -Or for that matter, any solitary bees, since fire ants will climb anything, and eat most any vulnerable insect. Some of our beekeepers stack up supers on fire ant nests to get the wax worms cleaned out. [log in to unmask] Dave Green Hemingway, SC USA The Pollination Scene: http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles) http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm