Spring!

2 warm days in a row filled with sunshine and it seems that everything is kicking off! A Red Admiral butterfly, was out and about, together with queen bumblebee and wasps.



I found 4 Adders enjoying the warmth of the sun above Freshwater Bay including the two individuals above. These are males which emerge some weeks before the females, the warmth helping in the development of the sperm ready for mating in April. The very dark Adder has got quite an advantage in this respect, absorbing the solar radiation much more efficiently and able to be more active in cooler conditions.

And this female hoverfly was soaking up the sunshine, too. It's Epistrophe eligans, an indicator species for climate change. Formerly emerging in April it is now being noted regularly in March. Correction, it's Eristalis tenax (thanks, Adam). The orange line across the abdomen threw me and it's taught me not to assume things, especially at the start of the season when I'm rusty! :-)