Post by nomad on Apr 27, 2016 17:33:01 GMT
Spring Hymenoptera
Something different. The cold English Spring continues, sleet fell in Wiltshire today. Last Saturday only a few insects were on the wing during my walk across the downland of Wiltshire's Aldbourne Chase. Today John of Gaunt's medieval hunting chase is now rural farming with a hidden expanse of unimproved downland above a valley. In the valley bottom by a ruined flint and brick barn on this sunny day but with a cold northerly wind blowing, it was hard to imagine that in 1643, the Earl of Essex's strung out Parliamentary Army was attacked here by Prince Rupert and his Royalist Cavalry who came thundering down the slopes above. The ensuring action was one of skirmishes and the fighting was inconclusive for either side.
Peace reigns in this valley today and it is deserted. It was not a day for butterflies, they hate cold winds and only a lone Small Tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae was visiting the white snowy blossoms of the blackthorn. The insect life was mainly represented by the Hymenoptera, species of Bumble and Solitary-Mining Bees. Those hardier insects were busy gathering nectar. Watching and photographing the Spring bees at the blooms, I noticed that when the sun was hidden by a cloud, they often became inert on the flowers at which they were feeding until the sun once again warmed them for flight.
I must admit I have never examined Bee species in any great detail but they are very important pollinators. What a lovely insect the Spring flying Tawny Mining Bee-Andrena fulva is with its fox red hairs. This Solitary Bee lives underground and by its burrow you can find like little volcano earth like mounds. It is a common and widespread species in the UK and was busy at the Blackthorn flowers, though it was hardly numerous.
Blackthorn along the Wiltshire Valley.
Andrena fulva.
Something different. The cold English Spring continues, sleet fell in Wiltshire today. Last Saturday only a few insects were on the wing during my walk across the downland of Wiltshire's Aldbourne Chase. Today John of Gaunt's medieval hunting chase is now rural farming with a hidden expanse of unimproved downland above a valley. In the valley bottom by a ruined flint and brick barn on this sunny day but with a cold northerly wind blowing, it was hard to imagine that in 1643, the Earl of Essex's strung out Parliamentary Army was attacked here by Prince Rupert and his Royalist Cavalry who came thundering down the slopes above. The ensuring action was one of skirmishes and the fighting was inconclusive for either side.
Peace reigns in this valley today and it is deserted. It was not a day for butterflies, they hate cold winds and only a lone Small Tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae was visiting the white snowy blossoms of the blackthorn. The insect life was mainly represented by the Hymenoptera, species of Bumble and Solitary-Mining Bees. Those hardier insects were busy gathering nectar. Watching and photographing the Spring bees at the blooms, I noticed that when the sun was hidden by a cloud, they often became inert on the flowers at which they were feeding until the sun once again warmed them for flight.
I must admit I have never examined Bee species in any great detail but they are very important pollinators. What a lovely insect the Spring flying Tawny Mining Bee-Andrena fulva is with its fox red hairs. This Solitary Bee lives underground and by its burrow you can find like little volcano earth like mounds. It is a common and widespread species in the UK and was busy at the Blackthorn flowers, though it was hardly numerous.
Blackthorn along the Wiltshire Valley.
Andrena fulva.
