After a long winter, the first few days of warm sun and clear skies were very welcome. With it, there came the first few butterflies of the year. In the north of Ireland, it’s Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells which emerge first, usually in late March where they will be found sunning themselves and feeding on dandelions. They often are quite tattered and dull, due a long winter spent in a tree hollow or shed having emerged the previous summer. It’s only in late April or early May however that the variety of butterflies starts to really increase.

Orange Tips are real springtime butterflies, emerging just as their foodplant, Cuckooflower begins to bloom. Males will perch or patrol their territory in the hope of coming across a female, who tends to fly slower along the verges in search of egg-laying sites. Green-veined Whites also share this foodplant and tend to emerge around the same time. In early May they are further joined by emerging Small and Large Whites, who tend to prefer gardens and rich flowery areas and the Irish speciality the Cryptic Wood White.

In woodland areas and sometimes in gardens, Holly Blues will emerge alongside the ever-present Speckled Wood. The Holly Blue is one species in Ireland that has been steadily increasing in both range and abundance for several years now. I had never seen one in my garden until around 2012/2013 and now they are seen every spring, with the occasional one in late summer. In scrubby areas, especially near bogland, Green Hairstreaks are a welcome sight. These little green jewels dart around bilberry and gorse bushes before landing suddenly and angling their wings towards the sun to warm themselves up.

Aside from butterflies, there are many other creatures who show themselves once the days begin to lengthen and the weather picks up. Queens of the Early, Garden, Buff-tailed, White-tailed, Red-tailed and Common Carder Bumblebees awake after a long hibernation in our gardens and woodlands and immediately start searching for fresh dandelions and willow blossom to replenish their energy levels before starting a new colony. In more rugged rural areas they are joined by the Heath, Moss Carder and Red-shanked Bumblebees. Solitary bees also start to appear around this time, with species such as the Ashy Grey Mining Bee buzzing in and out of their burrows.

Along with our resident bird species, we welcome visitors from Africa and Europe such as the Cuckoo, Swallow, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and House Martin to name but a few, who soon fill the air with their songs and calls. With Daffodils blooming, tree leaves bursting out and Bluebells carpeting our woodland floors, how can you not love spring?