Is this a first? North East Lincolnshire Council urges gardeners to be kind to bees (and to blades of grass)

Every petal counts - a bee gets stuck in to some much-needed nourishment

                                                                    

BE kind to the bees!

That is the end-of-the-month plea from North East Lincolnshire Council.

It has issued this unusual (but welcome) statement: "At the onset of the growing season, hungry and recently-emerged native bees face a critical period. 

"In urban and suburban areas, it may be challenging for them to locate 'floral resources' (ie flowers).

The authority is encouraging residents with garden lawns to follow the 'No Mow May' approach which is beneficial to pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and more.

The statement continues: "If you’re a gardener with a lawn like Wembley then the thought of not mowing your lawn for a whole month may fill  you with horror.

"But spare a thought for the wildlife whose habitats are disturbed every time you run the lawn-mower around the garden.

"No Mow May was introduced to give nature the opportunity to take its course and for us to see just how much wildlife appears when it does.

Is NELC practising what it preaches?

It says: "We have specific areas across the borough where the grass is longer and wildflowers are growing."

Among these are said to be the following :

* A16 Peaks Parkway

* Cleethorpes Boating Lake railway banks

* Cleethorpes Boating Lake SSSI

* Scartho Road cemetery

* Hewitt’s Belvoir woodland copse

* Kings Road, opposite Meridian Showground

* Patrick Street walk-through to People’s Park

* Martin Wragg Way

* Weelsby Avenue

* Matthew Ford Way

* Louth Road verge

* A46 Laceby Road

* Ainslie Street Park

* Cleethorpes Country Park

* Cleethorpes Sand Dunes SSSI

* Haverstoe Park Wildlife Area

* Laceby Beck

* West Marsh Country Park

* Grant Thorold Park

* People’s Park north east entrance

NELC has also worked with a community group to help  them to sow wildflower seeds on the verge at Stallingborough roundabout.

The message ends: "Once the flowers are given a free reign, they create areas of truly outstanding natural beauty. Look out now for primroses, bluebells and cowslips!"