The Value of Long Grass – Leave some areas uncut!
Allowing all types of grasses to grow longer in corners, along hedgerows and ditches will provide important seed and insect food for birds.
Longer grass also helps retain humidity and soil moisture, making it perfect for insect larvae and other soil invertebrates, particularly moth and butterfly caterpillars, craneflies, and sawflies. These provide protein for birds and are particularly important for parents on the look out for food for hungry chicks.
Allowing an area of long grass to remain over winter also provides shelter for insects, especially those that spend the winter as an egg or pupa in the long grass ready to emerge in the Spring.
Summer Biodiversity Boost