According to this article a network of green corridors or ”bee roads” is planned to try and help boost the insect population. Under the scheme wild flowers will be replanted alongside roadsides, fields and houses to create green corridors where insects can feed and move around the country more easily. The article claims that the UK has lost more than 3 million hectares of wildflower habitat since the Second World War, leaving insects with nowhere to feed. Gardens are often not rich enough in native nectar rich flowers. The loss in habitat has had an impact on the numbers of hoverflies, bees and butterflies causing many species to decline. The Co-operative supermarket is recreating areas of wild flowers and nectar rich plants such as lesser knapweed, field scabious and birdsfoot trefoil. These will be planted anywhere from parks to playing fields with farmers and other landowners being asked to sow wildflowers as well. It is hoped that they will eventually stretch north to south and east to west across Yorkshire, restoring a total of five hectares in the £60,000 pilot project. Ultimately it is hoped to roll the project out across the whole country allowing insects to thrive and reducing decline. It seems like a really good idea. Personally I have left a number of wild areas in my garden where I encourage the wildflowers to grow. Not only are they very pretty but I have an abundance of bees, hoverflies and butterflies in the garden.
