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June 2021
BERE REGIS WILDLIFE AND

ENVIRONMENT GROUP

We had one of the driest Aprils on record and at the
time of writing we seem to be in the midst of a very
damp and cool May. Hopefully the sun will emerge
and we will have a flaming June!
The cool weather has certainly slowed down trees
coming into leaf and blossom. So, in early June we will probably be still enjoying
the wonderful white Hawthorn blossom in our hedgerows. These should be
followed by the white flowers of the Guelder Rose and Elderflowers. Also, there
should be plenty of flowers in bloom - Foxgloves and Pink Campion in the
hedgerows while in the damper spots along the riverside path you will see
Ragged Robin and Purple Loosestrife. And, in the stream you will see the dainty
white flowers of Water Crowfoot above their long strands of green weed.

Things that go buzz in the Spring

As Spring developed we all noticed activity in
our gardens as bees and other insects emerge
from winter and go searching for nectar of spring
flowers. The loudest and one could say clumsiest
are the bumble bees. There are 24 different
species in the UK and the species we mostly
frequently see are the White Tailed and the Red
Tailed Bumble Bee. One of the many other bees
that come out in spring is the Ashy Mining Bee –
so called because it digs holes in bare soil on
banks to make its nests.

The next and in many ways the
most attractive is the Bee Fly, 9
species – so called, of course
because it is a fly but looks like
a bee with its furry brown body.
Very characteristically it has a
long straight proboscis adapted
for hovering beside spring
flowers to collect nectar.

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