One 100 sq metre area of unmowed lawn, according to their plant study, would produce enough pollen to stock up six mining bee brood cells and enough nectar sugar to meet the needs of six bumblebees a day. Plants considered weeds should be welcomed in lawns in summer, the charity added, especially those such as dandelions, which provide important nectar for pollinators. Despite being outnumbered by daisies 85 to one on a typical 2021 lawn, they produced 9% of its pollen and 37% of its nectar sugar. Plantlife said just eight dandelion flowers may produce enough nectar sugar to meet an adult bumblebee’s baseline energy needs.
I am hoping the rain today will wash away the neighbours herbicides and allow a fresh batch of dandelions to flourish! Fortunately the dandelions in my patch are thriving. Stinging nettles near the greenhouse are also being left in the hope of butterfly nurseries developing!