- Title: FRANCE: New beehives create buzz on roof on French National Assembly building
- Date: 4th April 2013
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 3, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING FRENCH AND EUROPEAN FLAGS SIGN READING (French): "NATIONAL ASSEMBLY" BEEHIVES ON ROOF OVERLOOKING GARDEN GARDEN OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VARIOUS OF MAN INSTALLING HIVES (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF FRENCH SOCIETY OF BEEKEEPERS THIERRY DUROSELLE SAYING: "We think it's a nice opportun
- Embargoed: 19th April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVAATBQOXTQ47SA7E3MV6G37KCBK
- Story Text: The French National Assembly is to become a hive of activity in more ways than one after the installation of homes for colonies of bees on Wednesday (April 3).
Plans for the hives have been germinating for a number of months and have borne fruit in the shape of three self-contained hives perched atop the home of the French lower house.
Despite their reputation as a royalist species, the bees' homes have been decorated to be in-keeping with their democratic setting after a lick of paint in France's national colours of blue, right and red.
The president of the Society of French Beekeepers, Thierry Duroselle, was not convinced the bees would change their system of government despite the influence of their new location. The project does, however, aim to reach out to public and politician alike.
"We think it's a nice opportunity to educate people -- members of the public and politicians -- on the role of bees. Not just in producing honey, of course, but also to pollinate, to work, to maintain biodiversity by fertilising all flowered plants which give us fruits and grain. So for us, it's a great symbol," he said.
A 2011 United Nations report echoes Duroselle's comments, estimating that the work of bees and other pollinators was worth 153 billion euros a year.
While the creatures are often associated with the countryside, bees also adapt well to lives as city-slickers as the plants they encounter have been treated with fewer pesticides.
With politicians swarming below, the urban location might seem particularly apt.
One of the vice presidents of the National Assembly, Laurence Dumont, told Reuters that the situation between the hives and the chamber was comparable.
"The activity is just as intense in both cases but we don't produce our own honey! Whereas with our three hives we have the aim of producing between 100 and 150 kilos of honey a year. That is to say, if we don't use very big pots, maybe about 800 of them. We'll distribute them either when we have educational visits when children come to the National Assembly for sustainable development projects, we can give them honey to try, or to charities, if we have a great deal of honey!" she said.
Weather in Paris at the time of the installation was too cold for the bees themselves to make the journey. They will move into their prestigious new homes -- complete with a rooftop view over the City of Light -- sometime over the coming weeks when temperatures rise, joining other rooftop companions housed above Paris' Opera Garnier and fancy restaurant Tour d'Argent.
Six volunteer beekeepers from among the Assembly's staff will maintain the hives when they have the chance to get away from the buzz of political life. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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