What's all the buzz about No-Mow May?

"Hi! Dandelions are ok, but I much prefer a diversity of native plants!"- quote from a real bee

The pollinators are here to play

And they're looking for pollen all day

So should we allow

Our lawns to lay fallow?

Is it time to rethink No Mow May?

What's the deal with No Mow May?

By this point, we've probably heard the facts: global bee populations have been steadily declining since the 1990s, with about 25% fewer species reported between 2006-2015 than before 1990. Additionally, 1/4 of native bees in North America are at risk of extinction (1)! Besides being very cute and fuzzy, bees are also essential for plant pollination.

The theory behind No Mow May is simple: let our lawns grow for the whole month to allow early wildflowers to bloom and give pollinators a much-needed spring food source. But how much does this actually help our pollinator friends? Are there any downsides to doing this?

The Pros

Well, first of all, it's easy. All you have to do is... not mow your lawn. You can even use it as a conversation starter to talk to your neighbors about pollinator conservation! Also, lawn flowers do provide some resources for bees- dandelions are definitely better for them than just grass.

The Cons... it's not that simple

If all you do is not mow your lawn, it's pretty likely that most of what will come up will be weedy species- while they're better than nothing, it's not ideal. Dandelion pollen, for example, lacks nutrients that native bees need. Additionally, tall grass can obscure flowers and make them harder for insects to find! The benefits are short-lived too: after you mow in June, insects will have to find a new source of pollen.

And what about the quality of your lawn? Mowing after letting a whole month go by can be challenging- not to mention stressful for the turf and the insects that are living in it! If you do cut back in June, go slowly and start from the center to allow insects to move out. And only cut back about 1/3 of the height at a time so that you don't overdo it and stress your grass.

A few better ideas

Take stock: are you really using your entire lawn? Could you turn some of that space into a pollinator garden or wildflower meadow? Plant a few native species that flower year-round to give the bees a full buffet- you may be surprised by the amount of pollinator activity you see! We often experience bumblebees visiting the cute yellow flowers of a Shrubby St Johns Wort (Hypericum prolificum) before we even get it in the ground. You can find great pollinator supporting plant lists for New England at https://plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/Plant-Search.

If you are really attached to your lawn space, consider planting some low-growing flowers into your lawn. A 2023 paper found that adding just two additional floral species to a clover lawn- in this case selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) and creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum)- significantly increased bee diversity and native bee species.

Finally, try out "slow mow summer"- keep your mow height a little higher and mow less frequently all summer to allow some flowers to bloom within the grass. Enjoy your pollinators all summer!