In the UK, over 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s (according to UK charity Plantlife). When wildflowers disappear, many invertebrates are lost too, including insects which are vital to pollinate food crops and rely on these wildflower areas for food or a home. In the UK the value of insect pollination to agriculture is £691m per year (Buglife UK), pollinating crops such as oil seed rape, fruit and vegetables and producing Scottish honey.
According to UK Charity Buglife, six of our 25 species of bumblebee have declined by at least 80% in the last fifty years. These losses are mirrored for butterflies (71% of British butterfly species in decline) and hoverflies (38% of species in decline). This means that some unique and rare Scottish species are already irreparably lost and are on the brink of disappearance. Once such species are extinct, they will not return.
Losing vast numbers of insects and other invertebrates also has knock-on effects for other animals that feed on them including our native birds, amphibians, bats and other small mammals. One example are hedgehogs whose principal food source are insects and invertebrates.
As agricultural practices become more intensive, urban areas like North Lanarkshire, are becoming increasingly important for pollinators and provide many opportunities for habitat creation. Not only are flower-rich grasslands good for biodiversity but they provide numerous other benefits such as capturing carbon, preventing flooding, reducing air pollution and providing aesthetically pleasing surroundings which contribute to the general wellbeing of people.