In Antwerp's Deurne district, an "insect hotel" for bees, bumblebees and butterflies, which has been described as being a "five-star establishment," was inaugurated in a city cemetery recently.
At 11 meters long, the hotel is impossible to miss. It is the largest project of its kind in the entire country. There is room for everyone: bees, beetles, woodlice and butterflies. In exchange for this cosy nest, they will watch over the flowers and greenery of the cemetery and its surroundings.
This project in the cemetery of Ruggeveld is carried out by the city of Antwerp which entrusted the construction to Natuurpunt, the independent volunteer association that ensures the protection of vulnerable and endangered nature in Flanders.
"This is actually a five-star hotel," Els Van Doesburg, alderman for green spaces and animal welfare in the region, said. "You have compartments with bamboo, tree bark, pinecones ... There is a little bit of everything because all insects have their own preferences. So, we hope that our luxury hotel will seduce them."
Related News
- Mosquito outbreak across Europe due to warmer temperatures
- Wasp season expected to be particularly bad this summer
- First reports of oak processionary caterpillars in Antwerp
In Deurne, this is not the only initiative put in place to protect essential insects in the ecosystem. In the cemetery, the grass is mowed only twice a year.
"This allows many insects to live in the grass and ensure the pollination of flowers and plants," Tjerk Sekeris, the mayor of the Deurne district, said.
