CINCINNATI (WXIX) – “No Mow May” started in the United Kingdom to save their native pollinators, which include honeybees. In North America, “No Mow May” has a different impact on species native to our area.

“The native bees, which there’s over 2,000 kinds in North America, have kind of fallen by the wayside,” said Todd Crail, a senior lecturer for the University of Toledo. “They could have benefited. Some of them have benefited by having dandelions, clover and violets pop up in lawns, but it’s a very limited amount of benefit.”

Crail says letting your lawn overgrow isn’t exclusively good or bad for the local environment, however, there are better options for those wanting to support our local pollinators.

“Establish a corner of the yard in a native planting where we have the plants that these insects have all evolved with,” said Crail.

Crail suggests that those planning their yards should ask themselves the question, “‘No Mow May’ or ‘Bee Buffet,’” alluding to how there are better ways to attract pollinators than allowing lawn overgrowth.

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