February Hedgerow

As spring approaches look out for emerging wildlife in our hedgerows: hazel catkins, brimstone butterflies, early ladybirds and honey bees.

The Wild Privet, a semi-evergreen, is losing its old dark green leaves, now tinged with bronze, as fresh new leaves of a lighter green push through. A few of its small, round, black berries are still hanging on A Brimstone Butterfly The Hazel catkins (male flowers) are now at full stretch and from the distance look like golden streaks of rain The Hazel catkins (male flowers) are now at full stretch and from the distance look like golden streaks of rain The Hazel catkins (male flowers) are now at full stretch and from the distance look like golden streaks of rain The male catkins of Pussy Willow are bursting out of their confining brown husks A Brimstone Butterfly, over-wintering in the shelter provided by the dense ivy, has woken early in a warm spell, looking itself like a yellow leaf with its wings closed An early Honey Bee gathers nectar and pollen from the hazel catkins A Seven Spot Ladybird has woken with the winter sunshine The Wild Privet, a semi-evergreen, is losing its old dark green leaves, now tinged with bronze, as fresh new leaves of a lighter green push through. A few of its small, round, black berries are still hanging on The trailing, non-flowering shoots of ivy form decorative curtains, especially where the leaves are bronzed between the brighht green veins The trailing, non-flowering shoots of ivy form decorative curtains, especially where the leaves are bronzed between the brighht green veins Some of the old bramble leaves are bronzed Some of the old bramble leaves are bronzed and the serpentine trail where the larva of the Bramble Leaf Miner has been burrowing, is clearly visible The trailing, non-flowering shoots of ivy form decorative curtains, especially where the leaves are bronzed between the brighht green veins The trailing, non-flowering shoots of ivy form decorative curtains, especially where the leaves are bronzed between the brighht green veins The Hazel catkins (male flowers) are now at full stretch and from the distance look like golden streaks of rain The Hazel catkins (male flowers) are now at full stretch and from the distance look like golden streaks of rain The Hazel catkins (male flowers) are now at full stretch and from the distance look like golden streaks of rain

For more information email John Craythorne. Sign in to see more contact details..