Out of their Mines, come the Mining Bees

 We are just running into a another patch of fine weather, and I am taking advantage by getting outside again, trying to bathe my pale face in vitamin D, and ease my Tourette tics. 

The last few weeks, we've mainly had bumbles and honeybees on the wing, with only hairy footed flower bees being the other bees in flight, doing their ferocious zig-zag flights around the red dead nettle and green alkanet. 

But yesterday and today, mining bees have appeared. The sappy leaves of a shrub at work attracted grey patched mining bees and chocolate mining bees, while today at the library gardens, a stunning tawny mining bee paused for a brief rest on a clump of alkanet.

There was a bonus today too, the first common carder bumblebee of the year was looking for a nest hole among the grasses. 

Tomorrow will be warmer, and perhaps I might even find a butterfly. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 29.03.25

From Bumbles to Honeys

 As well as bumblebees, obviously the brighter weather has seen plenty of honey bees on the wing, with orange saddlebags full of crocus pollen!

This is my favourite time of the year. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 08.03.25

Bumblebees are Up!

 January was endless, February seemed endlessly grim. Not a lot to see anywhere as cold weather and grey skies seemed to set in for weeks on end. The early emergences of early January seemed to stall. 

The last few days however, have seen a return of actual springlike conditions; sunlight and a smidgen of warmth have returned. I feel like I have returned too, with more enjoyment in the outside once again as I seek to burn out the endless Tourette energy.

And at the same time, we have seen an explosion in light and colour. 

Today I wish to concentrate on one species. The better conditions have brought the the return of the big, busy and buzzy buff tailed bumblebee queens, that have been loving pollen bathing in the colourful crocus carpets we now have in the town's green spaces. 

Particularly impressive has been their beep buzzing noise they make when they lumber into the air after feeding, like an overladen World War 1 aircraft.

I hope you are enjoying seeing them on the wing too!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 04.03.25

Spring Finally Sprung

 It's taken a long time, with endless wet weather and only occasional fine days that were however rather windy. Poliinators have been slow to take to the wing, and butterflies have been in very low numbers for the time of year - I've barely seen a brimstone up, which I normally consider to be a true sign of spring.

Hence, my first butterfly photo of spring was of a green veined white, which is a first for me. 

That being said, this past few days has seen the emergence of worker bumblebees, various species of solitary bee, lots of lady birds, and of course, the loud singing of chiff chaffs in wooded areas.

Photographing a grey patched mining bee and a two coloured mining bee - or maybe an early mining bee - are both firsts for me. Not seen by me is the remarkable sighting of a black kite at RSPB Langford Lowfields. I wonder if I should cycle out and try and find it. 

I hope you have seen such sights and heard such sounds. I intend to fully enjoy the spring as much as I can. And I hope, show them to you. I'm disappointed to not have had a lot to show you in recent times; this will change. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 04.04.24

Glory in the Gardens

 We've had better weather - briefly as it has started raining again - and things have really come to life in the Friary Gardens, where the early showing of aconite and snowdrops has been replaced by glory of the snows. 

It's not a native wildflower, it's a cultivar of squill of some kind I believe, but it grows wildly enough, and the bees seem to love it too. 

I've had some time off, spending it with my sister, finally finding an ideal internment spot for my mum's ashes after so long. The original plan was to scatter her in a favourite spot in her Scottish hometown, but the pandemic got in the way of all that, and we've all decided we'd rather she was close to home so we have a spot to visit on important dates. 

So by a mighty and gnarly old tree, which we felt sure she'd have loved, she will rest. 

With time to walk - and run too! - my Tourette symptoms eased somewhat. Although my increasingly middle aged body often wakes with sciatica and other twinges. Yet I do not feel mentally old, I feel as I did when I was 15 in many ways. 

Long may that continue!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 19.03.24

The Beauty of Small Things

 I'm not seeing many "big" pollinators at the moment, but as the occasional, well, I'd hardly call them "bursts" of sunshine have appeared - more like watery visitations of a sun like object in the sky - there have been plenty of smaller pretties on offer. 

I like to take every opportunity to get outside, waving my cameraphone around hopefully, to see what might be out there, and I like to advise everyone to do the same, if only with their eyes. Because at this time of the year, beautiful things are emerging, and they might not all be of the largest size.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.03.24