Hello 'Catters! Yes, it's *another* challenge for the Mudcat Songbook!! All of you entomologically-minded folks will be especially interested in this one:

I heard a report on NPR today that scientists in the US have made a fantastic advance in the study of honey bees -- they've caught several of the little buggers and glued diodes and antennae on their back with double-sided poster tape. "They look like hors d'oeuvres with glass toothpicks in them," said one of the researchers. Then the researchers release the honey bees and *attempt* to follow them in vans equipped with radio receivers; communicating with each other via walkie-talkies, evoking such conversations as: "He's going north." "Now he's going west." "He's going south -- nope, make that north again."

Unfortunately, I was unable to hear the end of the story, or to what purpose this 'fantastic advance' has been made -- but I'll leave that up to your imagination. My dad was a beekeeper for years, and I can't help but imagine him laughing himself silly if he could hear this story, and making some comment about "the guys in white coats tailing the 'little sisters'."

So, there ya go -- take it away and may everyone win!

-- Áine