Environmentalists in southern France have built a bee hotel to support an important pollinator.
Members of ‘Un Pais, Une Abeille‘ (One Country, One Bee) announced they finished the construction of an oak-shingled nesting spot in a bid to protect carpenter bees.
The wooden construction has been installed at the Montagnol Forest near the commune of Fontrieu in the Tarn department.
‘One Country, One Bee’ is a group of volunteers focusing on ensuring the existence and well-being of carpenter bees.
A spokesperson for the association underlined the importance of the financial support the bee hotel venture has received from local residents and businesses.
The Caisse d’Epargne et de Prevoyance de Midi-Pyrenees bank backed the project with EUR 2,000 (GBP 1,769), according to the La Depeche newspaper.
Carpenter bees collect pollen to feed their young but do not produce honey. They are nevertheless essential to a functioning ecosystem due to their pollinating activity. Maypops and numerous other flowers are solely pollinated by them.
Carpenter bees are mostly solitary bees. They burrow into hard plant material such as deadwood. They are often taken for bumblebees due to the insects’ similar body structures.
