Urban wildflower patches can serve as effective substitutes for natural meadows, attracting pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hoverflies just as much, a study reveals.

As councils increasingly sow wildflower meadows in cities to combat insect decline, this research sheds light on their ecological value.

A team from Warsaw University conducted the study in the Polish capital to assess whether urban wildflower meadows were as beneficial to pollinators as rural natural meadows. Published in Ecological Entomology, the findings show no difference in species diversity between the two habitats. Small urban wildflower patches proved equally valuable to many pollinators, despite their size and urban setting.

The researchers said: “In inner-city areas, flower meadows can compensate insects for the lack of large natural meadows that are usually found in the countryside.”

“In this way, we can alleviate the hostile environment of urban space for wildlife,” the researchers wrote.

However, the study highlighted some distinctions. Butterfly numbers were twice as high in rural meadows compared to urban ones, though the diversity of butterfly species remained consistent. For wild bees and hoverflies, there were no differences in abundance or diversity between urban and rural meadows.

Researchers observed pollinator activity at 10 urban locations across central Warsaw and one site 20 kilometres south, conducting surveys on sunny, calm days between June and August. They recorded over 10,200 insects representing 162 species, either through on-site observations or by capturing specimens for laboratory identification.

Interestingly, even urban settings supported rare and protected species, such as large coppers (Lycaena dispar) and scarce swallowtails (Iphiclides podalirius), demonstrating the potential of city wildflower meadows to support biodiversity.

“We are of the opinion that replacing some mowed green areas with flower meadows may enhance biodiversity, especially by providing a mosaic of meadow types,” researchers wrote. “By sowing flower meadows, we quickly create colourful habitats that are eagerly visited by city inhabitants.”

With 50% of European butterflies relying on natural grasslands, and 97% of the UK’s wildflower meadows lost since World War II, these findings underscore the importance of urban wildflower initiatives. They provide essential habitats for pollinators, helping mitigate the drastic decline in natural meadows and contributing to urban biodiversity conservation efforts.

 

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