Nature on our doorsteps: Be slow to mow …
Rosaleen Dwyer is the County Heritage Officer at South Dublin County Council – every week she gives us an insight into nature on our doorsteps and the beautiful biodiversity of its plants and wildlife.
IN RECENT years, the ‘No Mow May’ campaign has been encouraging everyone to reduce the number of times the lawns are cut in May.
This advice is based on the worrying situation faced by pollinating insects. At least one third of Ireland’s 100 bee species are threatened with extinction.
Two species have already become extinct in the last 80 years, while 42 other species are not as common as they once were.
The main reason behind these losses is the reduction in the number of places where wildflowers are allowed to grow and bloom.
While some garden plants can be very important in providing pollen and nectar, many cultivated flowers do not offer good sources of food to insects.
Pollinating insects rely on lawn wildlflowers like Daisies, Buttercups, and Clovers
This is because when plants are bred to produce bigger flowers with more plentiful petals than the original, sometimes the compromise for the plant is that they produce less, or no, nectar and pollen.
Native Irish wildflowers like Dandelions, Buttercups, Clovers, and Birds-foot trefoil evolved over a long time alongside our native insects.
These flowers offer the best source of pollen and nectar, and they bloom at the time of year that the insects most need this food.
Over the last 50 years, however, the opportunities for wild plants to grow and flower has been severely reduced.
This is due to the loss of wild habitats for much needed development and agriculture, to the increased use of weedkillers and pesticides, and to the desire for well-managed lawns and roadside verges in urban areas.
The reduction in food has had a serious impact on the numbers of pollinating insects like the honeybee, bumblebees, solitary bees, hoverflies, many other fly species, moths, and butterflies.
One simple way to help reduce the stress on insects in search of food is to ease off a little on mowing the grass in May and early June, and to wait until the wildflowers have mostly gone to seed.
Further information can be accessed at pollinators.ie HERE.