In the small world of bees, the news could quickly create a buzz.
With a garden designed to best satisfy pollinating insects and an open fight against Asian hornets which decimate beehives in summer, Ormoy-la-Rivière (Essonne) is an exception.
A real haven of peace for bees, which has just been officially awarded the APIcité label.
Michael Mérigot, the mayor (SE), is himself an amateur beekeeper.
No coincidence that the bees of Ormoy-la-Rivière are treated like queens.
To obtain the first level of this label awarded by the National Union of French beekeeping (Unaf), the elected representative surrounded himself with botany specialists.
But also the living forces of the village.
"Within the National Museum of Natural History, there is a participatory science network dedicated to pollinating insects," explains the president of the Ormois green squares association, Gilles Malaterre.
Part of the job is to photograph the species when they are on the flowers.
So I thought that we could create a garden on the municipal territory and plant species that attract insects.
"
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Very quickly, everyone got to work: the school students, the association and the town hall.
Luckily, a land adjoining the school is available.
It is immediately made available and the first workshops begin.
“This garden has around twenty species particularly appreciated by pollinating insects,” continues Gilles Malaterre.
There is phacelia, which is considered a green manure, but also borage which produces beautiful little blue flowers, or alfalfa.
"
And since nothing is too good for the bees, two insect hotels have also been installed.
Two insect hotels like this one have been set up in Ormoy.
LP / FG
Pampered with this garden of a thousand scents, the bees are also protected.
“We distributed a document to residents that explains how to create a trap for Asian hornets,” adds Mayor Michael Mérigot.
The Asian hornet is a real plague for beehives.
Either it waits outside and attacks the bees when they fly away, or it goes directly into the hives.
During the summer, he exhibits continuous harassment.
"
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Amateur beekeeper in Ormoy-la-Rivière, Jean-Luc Guinard is pleased with the action taken by his municipality.
“The bee has a lot of sympathy capital,” he notes.
My friends always ask me for news about my hives.
This approach is therefore useful for everyone.
And then the garden benefits all the biodiversity.
I was still there earlier, the insects are already there around the first blooms.
"
The fight against the Asian hornet, a priority
On the subject of the Asian hornet, he recognizes the urgency to act.
“It mainly attacks beehives,” he continues.
Last year, one in six I have was completely destroyed.
The hornet entered through a small 8 millimeter hole that I had not seen.
It is therefore very good to inform the inhabitants, as well as to identify the places where there was a nest.
"
By breaking into hives, Asian hornets can wreak havoc on bee colonies.
LP / Elie Julien
To go even further, the mayor intends to create a beekeeping association and train the two municipal employees of the green spaces service in the destruction of Asian hornet nests.
Discussions are also underway with the union council of the Ile de Loisirs d'Etampes so that the town, which hosts part of the site, can install four beehives.
"The idea is to shine well beyond the municipal territory", concludes Michael Mérigot.