A blog written by Buglife’s B-Lines Officer, Rachel Richards, originally written for Nature Friendly Farming Week 2026
Nature Friendly Farming Week (18–24 May 2026) is the perfect time to think about how our food choices can support both British farmers and our precious wildlife.
‘Buy British’ is a well-known slogan many of us already try to support, and the more local the better. Local food means: supporting our economy, reducing our carbon footprint, environmental standards that we are familiar with, not to mention being more self-sufficient. But let’s not forget that along with supporting local food, more nature-friendly food is also important; not just for wildlife but also for healthy soils and promoting sustainable, climate resilient farming into the future.
Restore habitat that will support the whole food chain
Around 69% of the UK is farmed which presents a huge opportunity for farmers to support nature’s recovery; many already do farm with wildlife in mind and have done so for generations. As more farmers move towards nature-friendly farming systems, working to restore the balance between farming and nature, we can encourage this practice through our food shopping choices. We need our food production systems to not only provide healthy, locally sourced food but also to help support and restore struggling biodiversity which in turn supports more resilient, sustainable farming systems. But what does nature-friendly farming look like on the ground and how is it better for the environment?
Farming systems which include areas of well managed habitat such as wide species-rich hedgerows (with flowers through spring and summer and berries in autumn); wildflower-rich grasslands and meadows; ponds, ditches and watercourses with wide flowery edges; and areas of native woodland or trees, will support more wildlife, especially if these areas are free of pesticides. These habitats will provide food, shelter and breeding opportunities for wildlife, from birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians to the insects including pollinators that support the whole food chain.
Healthier soil and fewer pests
Farms which incorporate more habitats are less vulnerable to soil erosion. This is because sediments are trapped by vegetation, and water infiltration will be higher due to the deep roots of established wild plants and trees. Overall soil will be healthier and better for farming meaning it’s better for our food.
Growing produce within a nature-rich farm can reduce pest problems and the need to use harmful pesticides. Farms which include habitats for wildlife, support more predatory insects, birds and mammals. This creates a healthier balance of predator and prey species, meaning potentially problematic pests such as slugs, snails and aphids are far less likely to reach harmful numbers. Working with nature supports more diverse wildlife on farms, creates more beautiful landscapes for all to enjoy, results in healthier food and more resilient farm businesses in the face of growing threats like climate change and rising prices of fuel and other costly inputs.
At Buglife we stand up for the little things, the often unnoticed but essential species like pollinating insects. This week along with Nature-Friendly Farming Week we also celebrate Solitary Bee Week and we think this is a perfect overlap. The UK is home to around 250 species of solitary bees ranging from tiny shiny furrow bees measuring around 4mm and the bright red blood bees which use them as hosts, to the long antennaed Long-horn Bee and the fast and fluffy Hairy-Footed Flower Bee (measuring around 15mm). With the right habitats supporting both food plants and nesting habitat, many of these solitary bees can be found on farmland, providing essential pollination services to both crops and wild plants.
Your tomatoes, aubergines and beans need wild pollinators
Bumblebees and many solitary bees can carry out ‘buzz pollination’ which is essential for many commercially important plants including tomatoes, aubergines, broad beans, and blueberries. When visiting some plants the female bees bite near the base of the flower’s anthers and deliver bursts of vibration using their wing muscles. This detaches pollen which they then collect to feed their young.
Watch and listen next time you see a bumblebee on a tomato flower, and you will hear the change in buzz frequency. Honeybees can’t deliver buzz pollination, so farmers growing these crops rely on wild pollinators.
What do our pollinators need to thrive?
For solitary bees and other wild pollinators (hoverflies, other flies, butterflies, moths and beetles) to thrive on farmland they need space which is safe from harmful pesticides. Connected wildflower-rich habitats which provide forage from spring through to late summer, and farmland which supports good nesting habitat.
In the Springtime, hedges rich in native shrubs and trees like Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Damson and willows provide really important nectar and pollen sources, but only if they are given time to flower and are not cut back too far or too frequently. Similarly, field edges supporting wildflowers like thistles, knapweeds and Teasel can be extremely popular with the larger solitary bees like leafcutters while arable weeds like poppies and Wild Radish, and path edge wildflowers like Yarrow, are visited by many of the smaller species.
Alongside sources of pollen and nectar, solitary bees require nesting habitat. Some species are aerial nesters which use old beetle holes in logs, or hollow plant stems like broken off brambles. Ground-nesting bees vary in their preferences with some species preferring sandy soil, others clay. Some prefer flat trampled areas like footpath edges while others nest in vertical cliffs, often just small cuttings left by vehicles along a track side. Whatever the preference, a sunny aspect is very important.
How can I help?
Most of us are not farmers, but we can all support nature-friendly farming practices with our shopping choices. We can buy local from farmers who are doing more for nature be it farming organically or maintaining areas of semi-natural habitat such as wide flowering hedges or flowery margins alongside a water course. If we do eat meat, we could consider eating less and more locally produced meat. Perhaps buying local, organic, high welfare meat, supporting farmers who are striving to work with nature to produce high quality produce. Why not explore farm shops and local produce available in your area, share what you find on social media and do your bit to support nature-friendly farming and the wildlife that depends on it?