The weather has been unusually warm for February (16c peak today) as a southerly air flow has brought in weather from the Mediterranean. The valley is still a barren wasteland as far as insects are concerned at this time of year. So the trick is to find islands of habitation that are even warmer than its surroundings. I found three such islands on my walk today that attracted early emerging insects each is described below.
1. Coltsfoot stream.
This small stream coming off the mountain, was covered in moss which in turn gave a good bedding for early flowering Coltsfoot. I recorded my first and earliest for the year hoverfly here a female
Eristalis tenax. The flowers also attracted a few honey bees and pollenia fly species.
2. Flowering Gorse plant
Lots of the Gorse had a few flowers on them, but this one in a wind-shaded sun trap was in full bloom and covered in flowers, which in turn attracted about a dozen Honey Bee, incidentally Eristalis tenax is a honey-bee mimic and its good to compare photos of each species.
3. Maesteg cemetery graveyard.
The graveyard can be a good source of insects due to the constant replenishment of fresh flowers amongst the graves at this time of year. Today there was a few Dung Fly, Honey Bee and a smart queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee.
This Honey Bee however must have been a little confused, trying to feed on an artificial flower at a graveside.
Also in the undergrowth at the cemetery were plenty of feeding Blackbird and Song Thrush. This Blackbird looking considerably better than me after polishing off a bottle of Smirrnoff vodka, although our eye-rings are probably the same colour.
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