No Mow May is a fantastic initiative to encourage everyone to leave a little patch of wild in your garden or community space. It has grown massively over the years as more and more people realise the biodiversity crisis we face. Allowing grass to grow long and for wildflowers to flower and set seed not only looks far more attractive than a mono-culture short cut lawn but is also a HUGE benefit to wildlife! Insects attracted to the bright flowers and heady scents help to pollinate future generations of flowers, as well as any fruit or vegetable crops that are around. These in turn attract predators such as small birds like Sparrows, Robins and Blackbirds, who all have plenty of hungry mouths to feed in their nests at this time of year. In turn, these may be on the menu for a Sparrowhawk, and thus, supporting local raptor populations.
Thick-legged Flower Beetles are important pollinators for wildflowers, such as this Yellow Rattle.
Many people participate in No Mow May, but then on the 1st of June the strimmers and mowers come out and everything is returned to green. This can be devestating for wildlife as different species will breed at different times, so you may inadvertently remove an important food source for insects, or cut the flower heads before they seed, remove that particular species from the area. Let It Bloom June is now growing in popularity, as more people leave their wild areas for even longer, much to the advantage of wildlife.
An urban garden showing mown paths with wilder areas
By all means, you can keep pathways and some areas “tidy” but consider leaving some untidy areas for wildlife. And if you must strim or cut back, please check the area thoroughly first for wildlife such as hedgehogs or young birds.
Through our continued work with Suffolk Prickles Hedgehog Rescue, we were recently able to offer lodgings in our Hedgehog Hotel to Decker.
Decker was found by a gardener with his nose stuck in a rat trap and a severe strimmer wound to the back of his neck, which required veterinary attention. He was stitched up and once his medication ended, Paula asked us if we could look after him.
When he first arrived, he was quite shy, and we were concerned when the next day we found he hadn’t eaten any food. However, he clearly just needed some time to settle in, as the following day most of his food was gone, and his weight had increased to more than when he first arrived with us.
Due to his injury, Decker is finding it hard to curl into a tight ball, which is the Hedgehogs main defence against predators such as foxes. He will be with us for some time while the stitches help to heal his wounds, then we can assess when he’ll be ready for release.
The day after Decker arrived, Keeper Nick was clearing the area outside the Hedgehog Hotel, and discovered this beautifully intricate Hedgehog nest!
At this time of year, non-breeding Hedgehogs will create a little nest to rest up in during the day time. They usually have several within their home range, so if you find one, the chances are there may be others. This one was safely hidden under a broken pot, and the creator wasn’t home, but it’s heart-warming to know that our resident wild Hedgehogs may be visiting the temporary residents in the Hedgehog Hotel while we’re not around.
If you took part in No Mow May or Let It Bloom June, why not share your photos with us on social media. We’d love to see what wildlife has been attracted to your garden as a result of you letting nature do its thing!