June had finally arrived in MysticLand. Felix got up early on the second day of this fine month and marched into his garden. Verum followed him with a cup of tea in her hand. To her utter surprise, the grass had grown quite tall here. It was unlike Felix to leave his garden untended. So, Verum asked, “Felix, what has happened to your garden?”
Felix turned around with a smile and said, “I was just participating in ‘No Mow May’! It’s a movement that began in the United Kingdom (UK) and has spread into the United States (US). The idea is quite simple really. For the month of May, people and communities avoid mowing their lawns. This allows the grass to grow and lawn flowers like dandelions, clover, and violets to bloom.”
“Nice, I am always in favor of flowers blooming but is there a particular reason why these flowers are being allowed to bloom?” said Verum.
“To save the bees of course! Bees feed on these flowers,” said Felix, “You must have heard that several species of bees are endangered. According to a report by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Bombus Pollinators Association of Law Students, American honeybees have declined by 89% in relative abundance. In fact, bees could be headed towards extinction. And that would be a terrible fate.”
“Why?” asked Verum.
“Did you know that bees are responsible for pollinating 35% of the global food supply? Pollination is the process by which plants reproduce. It involves the transfer of pollen grains from a part of the flower called anther to another called stigma. Through this, certain plants create seeds and fruits. Seeds then grow into newer plants,” explained Felix, “Without bees, this crucial process wouldn’t take place. In fact, our world will lose its natural diversity.”
“Oh, now I see the importance of this movement,” said Verum, “But is it enough to save the bees?”
“No, it is just a start,” said Felix, “We should do a lot more to protect and save the bees.”