"People can help pollinators in their garden at home or the local park or school space," she said to an audience at the Policy Exchange think tank on Tuesday.

"Oxeye daisies, lavender, primroses, cyclamen, they are just a few of the common flowers that are bee-friendly

"I have to confess that not mowing your lawn so often is one piece of advice that I have no problem following."

She also stressed insects importance in agriculture where they play a vital role in pollinating crops. "Without those insects, not only would our parks, gardens and countryside be much more drab places, our food could well become less varied and some of it more expensive."

Bees were also compared to Premiership footballers by Liz Truss. She said, "Their work is valued at around £430m – four times the salaries of the top 10 players in the Premier League. Like the football players, they require excellent accommodation, training and the best diet and nutrition to make them world-beating. That’s why I am ensuring across all land uses there are strong incentives to provide pollinators with habitat, forage and space.”