Save Our Bees – No Mow May

We’ve all heard that America’s bees are in trouble. Most of the attention has been on honeybees, the European species that pollinates so much of our food crops. But even more urgent is the plight of North America’s native bees, many of which have declined sharply.

The No Mow May movement began in England, and it is now building here in the U.S. The idea is to reduce or even eliminate mowing during the month of May, when bees are just getting started for the season and need the extra boost of food. Letting your lawn grow a bit extra results in flowers that help our native bees get a good start. Studies have shown three times as many species of bees and five times as many bees on lawns allowed to grow in May.

Not only that, but letting your lawn go a bit in May reduces lawnmower-related pollution and noise as well. It may also strengthen your lawn by allowing healthy growth during the spring. For more information, check out these links:

A recent New York Times Article on No Mow May: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/28/travel/no-mow-may-wisconsin.html

Signs you can print to show you aren’t just lazy: https://www.loveyourplace.org/no-mow-may

Even Bob Vila, of This Old House fame, is a fan: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/no-mow-may/