Cut back on mowing to get your lawn buzzing

GARDENERS should only mow the lawn every two weeks to save bees, scientists have said.

Leaving a fortnight’s gap between grass cuts could help improve the habitat for the pollinating plants that bees need to survive, ecologists from America’s Forest Service claimed in an article for the journal Biological Conservation.

Cutting the grass more often than every 14 days destroys dandelions and clover and other plants which the insects need for pollen. The two-week cut off mark was also found to be the ideal gap to attract a greater diversity of insects.

The number of bee species and the abundance of lawn flowers were up to 2.5 times higher when home owners mowed lawns every two weeks compared to once a week.

Three-weekly cuts were also not recommended as they made it more difficult for bees and other insects to access flowers.