No Mow May

Join the movement to help pollinators!

You can bring more color to your lawn, while helping our pollinator friends and earning yourself more free-time on the weekends! What a great combination…

Goldenrod Cellophane Bee (Photo by Mark Faherty)

There is an incredible diversity of bees in the Northeast, including some 400 species. There are a whopping ~ 3,600 bee species in the U.S. and ~ 20,000 bee species on our planet!

Golden Northern Bumble Bee on a raspberry flower (Photo by Bill Keim)

Bees and other pollinators play an incredibly important role in our food systems. They are responsible for approximately one out of every three bites of food we eat. Hundreds of food plants need animal pollinators. They include apples, many berries, peaches, olives, broccoli, carrots, onions, squash, and many more.

Flat-Tailed Leafcutter Bee (Photo by Mark Faherty)

Lots of native bee species in the U.S. are declining. There are a range of reasons for these declines. Some of these include: habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. They also face competition with non-native bee species, and more. But fear not, there are some simple things you can do to help these very important allies of ours.

Homemade “No Mow May” yard sign

“No Mow May” is a growing movement to help bees and other early-Spring pollinators find food. Wait until early June to first mow. It will help provide much-needed wildflowers for them to feed from.

Typical manicured lawn resulting from frequent mowing and herbicide application

Many native bees emerge early in the growing season. They struggle to find food in suburban and urban areas. Most of the vegetated areas in these landscapes are lawns. They are heavily mowed and manicured. They have very few flowers.

Common Eastern Bumble Bee (photo by Brad Timm)

Dandelions are common and widespread early-Spring wildflowers in human-developed areas in the Northeast. The nectar they provide is lower-quality than that of many other wildflowers. But, it is better than nothing. Letting dandelions grow and go to seed is often a good first step.

Purples, pinks, white, yellow, and other colors abound (photo by Brad Timm)

After multiple years of "No Mow May," you'll likely see a big increase. Both the total number of wildflowers and the number of wildflower species in your yard will grow. The flowers will provide pollinators with food. They will also add lovely, natural color to your yard.

Leonard’s Skipper feeding from flower (photo by Mark Faherty)

And bees aren’t the only pollinators you will help provide food for. You'll likely be very surprised. These wildflowers in your yard will attract many types of butterflies, moths, and other pollinators.

Black Swallowtail butterfly on clover flower (photo by Brad Timm)

If you aren’t sure you want to do “No Mow May” for your whole yard, you can do it for a part. This is also great for pollinators. Any extra early-season flowers is a great help to them!

Bumblebee with “pollen basket” (orange) on leg to bring pollen back to the nest (photo by Cornelis Verwaal)

And for the rest of the Spring-Fall, if you do mow your lawn, then mowing less frequently can really help. Mowing every 2-3 weeks, not each week, allows wildflowers to flower between mowings.

Pollen-covered bee headed for more (photo by David Morris)

And whether or not you participate in “No Mow May” and/or increase the time between mowings, any way that you can provide flowers for pollinators to feed from is huge plus! For example, potted outdoor flowers can be a great food source. They are wonderful for bees and other pollinators. You can ask your local plant nursery for advice on good flowers to provide for the pollinators where you live.

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