No Mow May: How Not Mowing Your Lawn Can Help Bees and Wildlife

Do you want to make a positive impact on the environment without leaving your home? Are you tired of the weekly chore of mowing your lawn? If so, you might be interested in participating in No Mow May! In this blog post, we’ll discuss the benefits of not mowing your lawn, specifically for bees and other wildlife, and explore some studies that demonstrate the positive effects of this movement.

What is No Mow May?

No Mow May is an annual movement that encourages people to refrain from mowing their lawns for the entire month of May. The idea is to allow wildflowers and other plants to grow freely, providing a valuable source of food and habitat for bees and other wildlife. The movement started in the UK in 2019 and has since spread to other countries, including the United States and Canada.

Benefits of Not Mowing Your Lawn

By not mowing your lawn, you can create a more diverse and vibrant ecosystem in your yard. Wildflowers, dandelions, and other plants that would normally be cut down by a lawnmower can provide important sources of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. This can help support local populations of these important insects, which in turn support the broader ecosystem by pollinating crops and other plants.

In addition to providing food for pollinators, an unmowed lawn can also provide important habitat for other types of wildlife. Grasshoppers, crickets, and other insects that thrive in tall grasses provide food for birds and small mammals. And as these animals move through the tall grasses, they create paths and clearings that can provide shelter and nesting sites for other species.

Studies on the Benefits of Not Mowing Your Lawn

While the idea of not mowing your lawn might seem like a no-brainer for supporting wildlife, there have been several studies conducted that demonstrate the positive effects of this approach. For example, a study published in the journal Biological Conservation in 2019 found that unmowed lawns had significantly higher numbers of bees and other pollinators compared to mowed lawns. Another study, published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning in 2021, found that unmowed lawns had higher levels of biodiversity overall, including higher numbers of birds, butterflies, and other insects. 

As our understanding grows that we are all interconnected, our lawns and dirt are a key part of our system health. Microbes and all sorts of life exist in our soil and plants particularly when we allow diversity into our yards.

A study showed that people who do not mow their lawns are likely to have 3 times richer bee species and five-times the number of bees than mowed lawns. Bee City https://beecityusa.org/ provides a great overview on our pollinators and more information.

Participating in No Mow May is a simple and effective way to support bees and other wildlife in your own backyard. By allowing wildflowers and other plants to grow freely, you can create a more diverse and vibrant ecosystem that provides valuable sources of food and habitat for a wide range of species. And while the benefits of not mowing your lawn might seem obvious, there is also scientific evidence to support this approach. So, this May, why not give your lawnmower a break and see what kind of natural wonders emerge in your own backyard?

If you are interested in a garden No Mow May flag, we have two options available listed below. If you would like it customized, please contact me.