(on enn web site)
Animal Sentinels
by Claude Morgan
   Jerry Bromenshenk has been monitoring levels of pollution in the
environment with specially equipped chemical "sniffers" for nearly 30 years.
   On a moment's notice, he and a team of scientists from the University of
Montana in Missoula can transport their laboratory, set up their finely-tuned
instruments and put these highly-sensitive sniffers to work.
   On site, the sniffers take millions of samples from the air, soil and
water, and process them into scientific data.
   But these are no ordinary, off-the-shelf tools. They're bees — honeybees
to be exact. And if what the University of Montana team says is true, then
these little buzz-units may be our best hope for accurately monitoring the
environment.
   Bees and other so-called "animal sentinels" are supplying scientists with
a surprisingly complete picture of the natural world we inhabit.
   Unlike mechanical monitoring equipment, bees (Apis mellifera) are
inexpensive, replaceable and give instant feedback.
   "We do all of this in real time," says Bromenshenk. "When our little honey
bees are in trouble, so are the humans."
   For the full article, go to www.enn.com and check out "Animal Sentinels"