Power to the pollinators!
BEES are amazing pollinators, so are butterflies, moths, flies and beetles. There are many easy things we can all do to help these creatures, who not only pollinate our food crops (every third bite in fact!) but they also ensure the survival of wildflowers, which supports other wildlife species. All actions together make a big difference to help bring back nature locally.
Good fact: pollinators eat nectar and collect pollen, which is transferred to other plants. Some pollinators also eat pollen.
Take action for nature
Case studies on this page received funding from the West of England Combined Authority community pollinator fund. Get inspiration and advice about what you can do to help pollinators near you.
1. Mini-meadow magic
Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve have three amazing wildflower meadows. It’s possible to plant your own wildflowers and even transform part of your lawn into a minimeadow, bringing beauty, colour and pollinators to the space.
Plant a variety of wildflowers, such as field scabious, common knapweed and oxeye daisy. If everyone on your street did this there’d be an amazing green corridor.
2. Get wilder!
By letting parts of your garden or green space go a little wild, new habitats are created. Long grasses and wild areas improve conditions for insects as it provides them with shelter and breeding space. This in turn provides food for birds, butterflies, moths and mammals such as hedgehogs.
Nettles are great for butterflies, as well as being nitrogen rich, which improves the soil. Dead hedges create amazing habitats for insects, plus they use materials from the site to create natural barriers.
Community orchards are prime examples of creating this kind of habitat space and providing a beautiful space to benefit people and wildlife. They bring the community together, a place for social and nature connections and many opportunities to learn about linking habitats together.
3. Night scented gardens
Moths are important pollinators. You can plant night-scented, white/light flowers that ‘glow’ in the moon light to attract and support moths. Generally speaking, growing a variety of flowers will help pollinators.
Redcatch Community Garden have planted: jasmine, evening primrose, honeysuckle, nightscented flocks, bladder campion and white campion. Caterpillars (of moths) feed on plants such as common hawthorn, ivy and fuchsia and overwinter in dead plant
matter.
4. Community power
The Wellspring settlement in Barton Hill is an oasis of pollinatorfriendly gardens and community spirit. The community got together to share their ideas, resources, knowledge and aspirations for the local area. Community led actions are what local people are already doing to improve their neighbourhoods. This can include litter picks and turning unloved areas into beautiful natural areas, looked after locally.
5. Too cool for school
Linking activities at schools with community actions for nature will always benefit people and wildlife. The Winterbourne and Frome Valley Environmental Group have made many local connections with individuals, organisations and schools to link up pollinator pathways, upskill the community and inspire local connected actions for nature.
The Frome Valley Growing Project supported local schools enhance their pollinator habitats on the school grounds using permaculture principles. This included advice from the Team Wilder Community Ecologist about surveying the schools, identifying existing biodiversity and future plans. Engaging with schools also encourages children improve their own gardens for wildlife by planting native wildflowers, never using chemicals and creating habitats such as log piles and bug hotels.