With spring finally taking hold, there’s a buzz in the air – the buzz of lawn mowers zipping into life after an idle winter and the buzz of our early pollinators on the hunt for nectar. But, the two don’t go well together!

Our early pollinators are looking out for pollen and nectar for feeding – now is when they are most desperate for resources, so flowers in the lawn are a huge source of support. Bees are our most efficient pollinators and it really is in our interest to support their survival – just think about the fact that 75% of global crops are dependent upon animal pollination and you’ve got a strong reason why! In the East of England, of 228 bee species recorded, 73 species are threatened, regionally extinct or are of conservation concern. Habitat loss is one of the main causes for bee decline. One of the most critical habitats for bees, and other pollinating invertebrates, are wildflower meadows. Since the 1930’s we have lost a devastating 97% of our wildflower meadows across the UK. Just 0.5% of Hertfordshire is wildflower meadow today.

And so, we are calling upon you to help reverse nature’s decline and leave just a patch of your lawn unmown from early spring through to autumn and letting wildflowers in the lawn bloom. Rotational cutting works well, cutting some areas and then swapping – plus, you’ll have the joy of discovering the differences in what might bloom in different parts of your lawn! In just four weeks of leaving a patch of lawn to flourish, you might see smaller plants such as clover, daises, dandelions and Selfheal have the space to flower, which will give pollinators a real boost.

Josh Kalms, our People and Wildlife Officer was out at Rickmansworth Aquadrome over the weekend and was admiring a lovely patch of unmown spring grassland full of daises, Red Dead-nettle and dandelions. He saw four species of bee visiting the flowers – Ashy Mining Bee, Yellow-legged Mining Bee, Hairy-footed Flower Bee and Buff-tailed Bumble Bee - the first three of which nest in holes in the ground. These are all worth looking out for in your lawn too, plus keep an eye out for the brightly coloured, Tawny Mining Bee – it’s hard to miss the female with her dense layer of orange hairs!

We hope you can see the benefits of leaving a patch of lawn unmown, and how you can make a difference to wildlife and help in nature’s recovery. Let’s not underestimate the power of gardens – with over 15 million of them across the UK, they cover an area greater than all the national nature reserves put together and provide a patchwork of connected corridors for wildlife to travel through.

So, please let that buzz be the sound of a bee over that of a lawnmower and help to play a vital role in the survival of our bees. Thank you.

• Become a member of Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust in April, and you'll receive a FREE Wild Bee Action Pack! Sign up here.
• Find out more about how to make your lawn into a haven for wildlife, download your free Wild About Lawns guide here.
• Visit a local wildflower meadow this spring and summer and be inspired by the wash of colour, whilst taking in sounds of pollinators at work. Find one local to you here.
• If you would like to give a gift and also support the work of the Trust, please consider a Digital or Postal Bee Sponsorship Pack - a thoughtful gesture which is sure to get the recipient buzzing!