bees

'Unprecedented' Bat Die-Off Could Devastate Farming

A fungus is quickly wiping out most of North America's bats. Bats eat vast quantities of bugs that would otherwise eat crops, so if researchers can't save them, U.S. agriculture will suffer.

New York City's Next Big Cottage Industry: Beekeeping

The barriers to entry in the craft of beekeeping are almost nonexistent in New York now that the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has voted to allow people to keep bees. Hives are relatively inexpensive: about $150 or $200 for a standard-sized one with queen and workers. You need a spot with morning and midday sun -- in fact, a roof will do.