To keep harmful pathogens, molds, and fungi at bay, farmers often spray crops with chemicals. But a company called Bee Vectoring Technology has developed an environmentally friendly alternative in which bees carry and deliver a fungus that kills off the bad stuff. Normally, a farmer with an acre of apples sprays about 13 pounds of streptomycin to protect the fruit from fire blight, which can destroy entire orchards. But with the new bee system, a tray at the hive entrance coats the bees' hairy legs with a natural powder-ized fungus called BVT-CR7. The fungus acts as an endophyte, and grows harmlessly on the plant. It also prevents parasites and bacteria from taking hold.
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