The protected Belse Heide is one of the most beautiful and traditional things in the Antwerp Kempen. By clearing planted coniferous forests, heathland and drifting dunes regain the space they already showed in the Middle Ages.
The fauna and flora is specific with exceptional animals such as the rake wasp. The Belse Heide is one of the rare biotopes where this insect feels at home. There is no need to fear as the rake wasp only uses its stinger to stun other insects and then rake them away as food for offspring.
This landscape also housed prehistoric cemeteries. Finding small bones with axes, coins and pitchers made the minds of our superstitious ancestors spin. For them, this was the home of Alvermen. This small people lived in friendship with the local farmers. They never showed up, but according to tradition they did jobs at night for farmers in need of time. The farmers put coins on pasture posts as a thank you.
By the way, you should not confuse Alvermannen with alves, after which the Meerhoutse Alvinnenberg is named. These were evil spirits who deliberately led people astray.
The Meerhout sagas writer Juul Grietens (1884-1936) knew why we don't see any Alvermen anymore. According to him, they left in 1904 when their king Alveric was killed during test drilling for coal in Meerhout.
Or could these magical creatures have disguised themselves as a rake wasp?