New rewilding mode on Husqvarna robot lawn mowers creates habitat for bees and butterflies

Many plants purchased for gardens might look pretty but are the equivalent of food deserts to native bugs. And manicured lawns provide scant shelter for living creatures. Which is why Husqvarna, the Swedish manufacturer of outdoor power products, has introduced an industry-first to its robotic lawnmowers: Rewilding Mode. By selecting the feature, people can easily create miniature meadows to support bees, butterflies and other insects.

Rewilding is a conservation strategy used to increase biodiversity, and Husqvarna's Rewilding Mode leverages GPS technology to automatically designate at least 10% of a garden as a nature-friendly area. Satellite data is used to calculate and suggest a 'rewilding zone' on a map, which users can then adjust to suit their garden's layout. Every time the robot trims the lawn, it will avoid that patch. Since they aren't constantly cut back, grasses and other plants can grow taller and bloom, providing shelter and food for insects and birds.