A TEAM from Reading University has used flower power to transform 15 disused sites into habitats for pollinating insects.

As part of a national project involving four UK-wide universities, Nadine Mitschunas, Ellen Moss and Peter Harris have planted five areas of perennial meadows in Westfield Road, Caversham, Prospect Park, Portman Road in west Reading, Prospect Park, Cintra Park and Meadway Recreation Ground and 10 seasonal meadows which are due to flower in July and August.

The UK Insect Pollinators Initiative, run by Bristol University with teams in Reading, Leeds and Edinburgh, aims to discover whether planting areas of wild flowers can increase in the number of pollinating insects in the area, including butterflies, bees and hoverflies.

Dr Mitschunas, a research technician at the University's School of Agriculture, said: "We want to improve areas for pollinators and the people who live there because it is so much nicer having the flowers there.

"But we also want to see if we can get a greater number of pollinators in these meadows, We don't know what the results will be yet but we expect to see numbers increase.

"We are hoping the pollinators will enjoy the meadows and that they will make a difference to their populations. And of course we hope people will like them too."

To find your nearest meadow visit www.urbanpollinators.org.