NATURE NOTES Springing proud – pollinators and other insects April will be bringing new life into the countryside and our gardens, helping us look forward to the new season with optimism following the difficulties of 2020. Sunny days enable the emergence of many insect species that have spent the past few months in stages of dormancy in their winter hiding places. Early spring flowers such as Pulmonaria, Brunnera, dandelion, primrose and daffodil are invaluable sources of pollen and nectar for early bee species, bee-flies, moths, and the occasional butterfly, together with so much other wildlife enticed from hibernation.
Brunner
More important, our gardens in these times offer an opportunity to do more for nature, and in turn for us even the chance to see some of our rarer species. There are so many beautiful native plants and it could be such a worthwhile project to create and establish them in places where little else would grow happily, such as stony areas or gravelled drives. To introduce at least one such plant each year will create essential links for insects that may be dependent on just one native plant species to complete their life cycles. 52
Brindled Beauty Moth
Some to watch out for are Dark-edged and the scarcer Dotted Bee-fly, Hairyfooted Flower Bee and other early bumble bee species, Shieldbugs and Ladybirds.
Dotted Bee-fly
Hairy-footed Flower Bee
Early season moths, such as the beautiful, aptly named Streamer
