Spring arrives

A carpet of Lesser Celandines heralds Spring

While the Met Office starts Spring on the first day of March that usually seems premature to me. Yes, there can be days that feel spring-like but others still require winter clothing. The vernal equinox and the changing of the clocks seem about the right time to start raising expectations that Winter is coming to an end.

My two favourite early spring flowers are Lesser Celandine for their bright splash of colour and the more bland Alexander for the reason that it attracts a variety of newly emerged insects to its flowers.

Male Tawny Mining Bee on Alexander flower

Mid-March is also when Queen bumblebees will awaken from their hibernation feeling in need of a good meal or several after their long sleep. One of the first to appear is the aptly named, Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) but other species were also quick off the mark.

Top: Queen Early Bumblebee
Middle: Queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Bottom: Queen Tree Bumblebee 

I spotted my first solitary bee species on the 17th March, with more appearing as we moved into April. The first Cuckoo bee to appear was Nomada fabriciana, a striking bee with a red abdomen and black stripes.

From Top: Hairy footed flower bee
Yellow legged Mining Bee
Cliff Mining Bee
Cuckoo Bee Nomada fabriciana

We start this spring with a heightened concern over our butterflies that are showing a decline nationally and in urban areas in particular. There were also indications last year that bumblebee numbers were down and in Falmouth there seemed to be less red-tailed bumblebees about in particular. Fingers crossed that we have better weather this year to help numbers to recover. It is also essential that there will be a continuing source of pollen available to them throughout the spring, summer and autumn. To end on an optimistic note the number of Queen Common Wasps seem to have increased this spring.

Top: The first Holly Blue Butterfly spotted on 01/04/17
Middle: Queen red-tailed bumblebee
Bottom: Queen Common Wasp