Yo John: << : [log in to unmask] asked: Were the natural pollinators displaced from a niche?>> and then you wrote: <What follows is my muddled beginnings of a response to these criticisms of honey bees. I rely on the readers of this list to help me sharpen the points.> I don't know if this is the type information you are looking for or not, but we have found in our hybridizing nursery operation that once we quit using pesticides in order to protect our honey bees we also noticed a dramatic increase in both the numbers and variety of native pollinators working the gardens... Skip Skip & Christy Hensler THE ROCK GARDEN Newport, Wash. http://www.povn.com/rock