Without bees, our ecosystem is in danger. Not only do they produce honey, they also pollinate with other insects around 80 percent of our domestic flowering plants. But their survival is increasingly under threat. In order to make an active contribution to the preservation of the honeybee, Deutsche Bahn turned over land to private beekeepers free of charge. By doing so, habitats that are so important to 50 million bees are saved.
And you can taste the results. The “Gleisgold” honey and “Gleisdrops” sweets can be purchased in the bahnshop.
Habitat and food for endangered wild bees
The Deutsche Bahn is not just working to protect honeybees, but is also creating a Noah’s Ark for endangered wild bees at some of the stations. The bee “arks” are a kind of insect hotel – they resemble a raised bed and consist of two parts: one of the boxes is filled with a mixture of sand and clay along with dead wood and insect nesting aids. Here, wild bees find ideal conditions for building their brood nests. The second box provides food for the bees in the form of wild shrubs found in the local region.
In Germany alone, there are over 550 species of wild bee, including the bumblebee. They are classed as particularly endangered species and are an essential part of our ecosystem. The arks act as a life raft for bees and many other insects. The bee arks are located in Baden-Württemberg for example at Asperg, Fellbach, Marbach and Leonberg stations. They were built as part of a special initiative by the Samariterstiftung Behindertenhilfe Ostalb, a charity that supports disabled people.
