"A home for the bees" partnership

You must surely know this quote, whose author has not been clearly identified “If the bee were to disappear, mankind would not have more than a few years to live.” It is certain that the fate of mankind is indeed linked to that of the bees, pollinating insects essential to the balance of nature.

However, for some years bees have been mistreated and are suffering from colony collapse disorder (CCD). In short, the hives are being emptied of their bees...This syndrome is very worrying because of the ecological importance of bees as pollinators.

In the face of this ecocide, and fully aware of the health-giving properties of products from the hive and the essential role bees play in biodiversity and the ecosystem, Arkopharma Laboratories is engaging in an eco-responsible action through their flagship brand Arkoroyal® by creating the First Responsible Beekeeping label and is taking action to promote the protection of bees by supporting the actions of “A home for the bees.”

It is through the actions of “A home for the bees” that we are working to protect the French beekeeping sector by sponsoring French beekeepers so that they can maintain, nurture and renew their beehive stocks.

PHILIPPE CHAVIGNOL, OUR BEEKEEPER PARTNER

Philippe was introduced to beekeeping around twenty years ago in Colombia.

Since 1995, he has been settled in Guillaumes in Alpes-Maritimes, France where he has gradually developed a beekeeping and lavender cultivation business. The honey he offers has the French organic farming label (AB).

In recent years, he had a population of about 100 hives despite large winter losses. Up to now, the winter apiaries have been located in the Gorges de Daluis site. Philippe practices transhumance as locally as possible within a radius of 20 km as the crow flies, except for the lavender on the Plateau de Valensole (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence).

The Gorges de Daluis apiary:

The operation benefits from an organic label and has a bioclimatic honey house built from local larch, straw and soil, which uses solar thermal energy, located at an altitude of 1300 m.

Philippe works mostly with local “black” bees, a very old strain of bees and a few ligustica strain bees as a result of its geographical proximity to Italy.

Philippe spends the winter in Central America where he is trying to develop a beekeeping business with local people. He is particularly interested in apitherapy.