Phased mowing does not help all insects |
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Research: mowing management should consider not just individual verges or dykes, but the surrounding landscape
Phased mowing is better for insects than cutting all vegetation at once, but it does not guarantee the survival of pollinators. Research by ecologist Constant Swinkels of Radboud University shows that many insects still leave a mown dyke after just a few days. For municipalities and green space managers, the solution therefore lies not only in phased mowing, but particularly in coordinating management across the surrounding landscape.
| NWST image, for illustration |
With phased mowing, some vegetation is left standing. This provides insects with food and shelter after mowing. Immediately after mowing, this approach appears to work well. Swinkels observed twice as many flower visits and considerably more insects in the remaining strips. However, the effect was short-lived. 'After four days, they leave the dyke and the entire community collapses. Only resilient bees, such as honeybees, remain.'
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Many pollinators leave a mown dyke after just a few days
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Not a 'silver bullet'
For the study, Swinkels and forty students recorded approximately 30,000 flower visits and identified 5,000 wild pollinators down to species level. The research took place on dykes in the Ooijpolder near Nijmegen. On some dykes, approximately 70 percent of the vegetation was mown, while others were left untouched.
Rarer species proved particularly vulnerable. Phased mowing therefore helps, but according to Swinkels, it does not solve everything. 'Although phased mowing is better than cutting everything down, it is not a silver bullet. Many species still fly away under phased mowing management, looking for somewhere safe to go.'
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Phased mowing is better than cutting everything down, but it is not a silver bullet
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Look beyond the verge
This carries an important message for municipalities and green contractors. It is not just how an individual verge or dyke is mown that matters. The management of surrounding green spaces also determines whether insects can find food and shelter elsewhere after mowing.
Swinkels therefore calls for better coordination between different areas. A grassland next to a dyke, for example, could be mown later if it is in full bloom when the dyke is being mown. Different dykes could also be mown at different times. 'Insects need somewhere to go.'
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Coordinate mowing schedules so insects can always find alternative habitats nearby
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Variation and consistent management
According to Swinkels, both variation and continuity are important. Constantly changing management practices can actually work against species. 'In ecology, we always say that nature benefits most when you do something different everywhere, but keep doing the same thing in the same place. Consistent management allows species to adapt.'
The main lesson for green space management is therefore that ecological mowing is about more than the percentage of vegetation left standing. A verge managed through phased mowing only delivers its full value when sufficient alternative habitats remain available for insects across the wider landscape.
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Want to read the full study? You can find it here.
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This article was previously published on 6 October 2026 on the website of Stad + Groen.
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