Butterfly Conservation write:
Take part in our Plant Pots For Pollinators scheme this month and help butterflies, bees and other declining species. Discover why pollinators are important, download a planting guide and shopping list, plot your pot on the map and find out how pollinator-friendly your neighbourhood is.
There are 1,500 pollinating species in the UK, including bumblebees, honeybees, hoverflies, beetles, wasps, butterflies and moths. We know that more than 70% of our butterflies are declining in number, with species starting to disappear from some areas altogether. The problems faced by butterflies spell bad news for all pollinating insects and for people too.
Changes in land use and management techniques have destroyed important wildlife habitat on farms, in woodlands and around our towns and cities. If we don’t start looking after our pollinators and the places they inhabit, our lives will be affected too.
An estimated 84% of EU crops and 80% of wildflowers rely on insect pollination. We can protect our environment and our future by supporting the insects that provide for us. Just one pot of nectar plants can supply the fuel a pollinating insect needs to stay airborne and at work. Join in with our Plant Pots For Pollinators scheme, sponsored by B&Q, this summer and help struggling species – even if you don’t have a garden.
