India, Nov. 27 -- The Sumi tribe of Nagas uses several ecological indicators to facilitate agricultural practices and predict seasonal variation; but this wisdom is vanishing with the passage of time

One bright sunny morning, residents of Shiyepu village in Nagaland's Zunheboto district, head to church dressed up in their Sunday best and carrying umbrellas. The latter accessory is perplexing, given the clear weather.

But the church-goers know something that even weather forecasters do not-bees in the village (both Asiatic honeybee or Apis cerana and stingless bee or Trigona iridipennis ) did not leave their hives that morning, indicating a prospect of rain. Sure enough, it soon starts to drizzle.

This premonition is just one bit of a v...