David B

Day or two early, but thats a dead cert for March Early Purple Orchid @BSBIbotany @wildflower_hour #orchids #kent

@MikeFRobinson Thanks Mike

@DavidKentNature Wonderful pictures...

Unbelievable numbers of little black beetles at South Swale, on the Blackthorn tree on the beach in particular. Quite a few solitary bees too but getting covered in beetles put me of my search somewhat!! #beetles #insects #pollinators

@mike_gould6 If it helps prevent unnecessary sea wall work....

@DavidKentNature To allow for ground penetrating radar checks by the Solar Farm

South Swale, someone is clearing the vegetation off the seawall apron towards C Coote in several places which are important insect habitat.

@mike_gould6 Interesting lifecycle perhaps. Seen before but never in that quantity.

@DavidKentNature All over my car this morning but gone late afternoon.

Peacocks and Buff-tails (at least 20 of each) were the only species of Butterfly and Bumblebee seen today. Beautiful day at South Swale and Oare. GWE even had a dance. #bees #butterflies #birds

Buffish / Chocolate mining bee visiting Alexanders #wildflowerhour #bees

Cow Parsley (just starting), the white form of Red Dead Nettle and lots of Danish Scurvygrass - Minster, Bee Road (not many bees Friday, cold and windy). #wildflowerhour #whiteflowers

Early Dog Violet, Barren Strawberry and Hairy Bitter-cress all starting to bloom in greater numbers now. #signsofspring #wildflowerhour

@duncan_dine Was a bit annoyed it only stuck around fpr the one phone pic!

@DavidKentNature Better than me by time ran into house for camera , into next doors garden 😞

Not quite the photo I wanted, but first Bee Fly of the year. #insects #pollinators

Large Tortoiseshell in Orlestone Forest this afternoon, a first for me, the forest and the butterfly. Now to see if I can find this once presumed extinct species more locally... 6 reported by other spotters - I found just the one. #butterflies #kent

@StroudStory Feels like its going to be an early season, warm enough.

@DavidKentNature Gosh! Makes me want to race to see if our Cotswold ones are out yet, but they certainly won't be!

Wood Anemone - quite a few patches seen flowering along the Medway near Yalding yesterday. First spotted the occasional flower in the first week of March last year, so at least a week earlier than last year, perhaps two. Some Bluebells seem quite advanced too... #wildflowerhour

Solitary bees have been flying a few days now. Think this is one of the Lasioglossum group, seen nr Leysdown. Not a bad sunset from the Harty Ferry road, the Starling murmuration was unexpected. #bees #pollinators #sunset

Spurge Laurel on one of the old local lanes - I wonder if it is a relic of what was probably ancient woodland a very long time ago or introduced. #wildflowerhour

Not a wildflower, but some of the early Cherry have started (assumed cherry) - only honey bees seen. #wildflowerhour

Surprised to find some Willow in flower yesterday - hundreds of flowers on a partially attached branch that had broken - nothing flowering on the rest of the tree. #wildflowerhour

@SkySportsF1 Main thing is it is still enjoyable to watch. Might be a lot more overtaking, but if so will it just be swapping positions within a lap depending on power deployment.

'It's a good, fun challenge' - Lando Norris counters Max Verstappen's view on the new cars 🏎️