Don’t mow in May! A paradise for insects

Will you join? Together, we can turn lawns and grass fields into blooming havens for bees and butterflies.

The Bee Foundation aims to transform dull grass mats into bee oases full of flowers with the campaign “Don’t mow in May!” It’s a paradise for insects. The more flowers there are, the more nectar there is, which means more happy bees and butterflies.

Author: Malon Gerrits

Leave the lawnmower untouched for a month

That’s the call from The Bee Foundation, Flora of the Netherlands, and the Stone Break Foundation. In Belgium and the United Kingdom, they have been practicing this for longer. In England, it has been proven that if you don’t mow your lawn for a month in May, you can attract up to ten times more bees. Bees don’t eat grass, of course, but they need the flowers and plants. With fewer insects like butterflies and bees in nature, it’s up to us to lend them a helping hand. This assistance is particularly crucial in May.

Why May?

During the winter months, honey bees huddle together in their hives by the thousands. In spring, most bees begin their adult lives. When the food supply starts flowing abundantly, the queen lays more and more eggs, and the brood nest expands rapidly. However, for the food supply to get going, it needs a kickstart… That’s why it’s good for the dandelion to stay a little longer.

Did you know that the queen can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day, which is more than her own body weight?

During the summer months, everything is in bloom, and there are many places where insects can find their food. But in May, when bees come out of their “winter sleep,” there is little available. That’s why we need to lend a hand to the insects. Your lawn contains more plants than just grass. They only bloom when you let your lawn (or part of it) bloom.

So join us, leave your lawnmower untouched, and create a feast for these cheerful buzzers!

Blooming dandelions are a delight for bees and other insects. And when dandelions bloom, the maple trees also come into bloom. In a single tree, hundreds of thousands of small flowers bloom. That’s why blooming trees are equally important for insects.

Spring is always an exciting period. The changing atmospheric conditions (warmth, cold, rain) greatly influence whether or not the first important flowers for insects bloom. Whether it’s very wet or very dry sometimes has significant consequences for the nectar release from the flowers. Therefore, it’s essential to monitor soil moisture.

With a soil moisture sensor, you can remotely monitor the water supply of your tree, container, flower bed, lawn, roof garden, and facade garden. Measuring soil moisture provides an indication of when your trees and plants need to be watered again. This way, your trees and plants can thrive in the optimal conditions, grow and bloom abundantly, and produce nectar. Additionally, it prolongs the lifespan of your favorite green companions.