A trend of putting hives on Paris rooftops is increasing, with many businesses in the French capital joining in to do their part in saving the bee population.
A trend of putting hives on Paris rooftops is increasing, with many businesses in the French capital joining in to do their part in saving the bee population.
Urban bee keeping, a term given to the hosting of hives on rooftops. From offices to monuments, - the Monnaie de Paris to the Institut de France - the hives are all over the city.
The French capital hosts more than 700 beehives, according to 2015 figures, most are located on rooftops including the Paris Opera's and the Luxembourg garden's where beehives have been since 1856.
These urban rooftops are being used as a method to combat the worrying decline in the bee population, a decline France took action on early despite its elevating use of pesticides (this being a problem for a bees survival).
Bees around the globe, in particular those in Europe and North America, have been dying out in recent years by a blight called "colony collapse disorder", in which entire colonies of bees disappear or die out.
Viruses, fungi, parasites, poor weather, fewer flowers causing malnutrition in bees and the use of pesticides, have all been accused of causing the loss of bees.
According to the EU economic and social advisory commitee (EESC), "nearly half of wild bee species have disappeared in just 30 years".
Scientists also warning that the reducing bee population is just the start and that calculations have shown that 1.4 billion jobs and three quarters of crops, all depend on pollen and therefore need pollinators such as bees.
Lille's environmental services however have reported that 80 species of wild bee that had disappeared from the area have returned since the introduction of rooftop beehives.
Not only Has urban beekeeping been a hit in France but also in London, with many hives on the rooftops above.
However, it has been debated that urban beekeeping is in fact a problem for the beekeeping population as there is less nectar and flowers available in the cities.
With London alone from 2008 to 2013 the number of hives has doubled from 1,677 to more than 3,500.
With the population declining, many may wonder what non-beekeepers can do to help. Scientists simply saying, plant plenty flowers whether you have a window box, garden or allotment.