Custom-built condominium for pollinators.
Saint Martin Garden on the Rock is soon to be a hive of activity for busy bees. The Direction de l'Amenagement Urbain is installing a block of apartments that are highly desirable if you're a pollinator, an insect that helps pollinate plants. Each hive contains units custom-built to attract 3 types of wild bee:
- solitary bees that build their nests in soft plant stems
- carpenter bees that build their nests in dead wood or bamboo
- mason bees that nest in cavities made by other insects, or in cracks in rocks
Developed by the Office National des Forets Francais (ONF), the hives were first installed in the Paris and Vosges regions of France. They not only provide perfect nests for the insects, but also allow researchers to study the bees' daily habits and so better understand them.
For more information, email amenagement[at]gouv.mc.
