Everywhere is full of Willow fluff! The female willow trees have catkins which shed seeds coated in fine hairs to aid dispersal – Poplars have the same trick and it always takes me back to childhood, when we had a swing attached to a large poplar. For a few weeks of the spring, white fluff was everywhere.
Green-veined White Butterfly Paul Rule 
Orangetip Butterfly Paul Rule 
Painted Lady Butterfly Paul Rule
Elderflowers are mostly open and Blackberries on the point of flowering, so a recent trip turned up lots of insects everywhere. There were Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata), Beetles and Bugs and lots of Butterflies.
Cardinal Beetle Paul Rule 
Brassica bug Paul Rule 
14-Spot Ladybird Paul Rule 
Alderfly Paul Rule 
Dock Bug Paul Rule 
Long-horned Moth Paul Rule
Particularly striking were the Odonata.
Azure Damselfly Paul Rule 
Large Red Damselfly Paul Rule
Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly female Paul Rule
There is a new Chicken of the Woods Fungus on one of the big willow trees by the river, just where the little ‘bridge’ is. It has been attacked with a knife (perhaps by someone wanting some for eating!) but it is hosting a very large number of Fungus Beetles Diaperis boleti. These small beetles live on and in the fungus and disperse at night to find new growths.
Fungus Beetle Diaperis boleti Paul Rule 
Song Thrush Paul Rule
There was also lots of birdsong, even though the peak is over and most birds are busy feeding youngsters now. A Blue Tit was seen emerging from one of the boxes; a Song Thrush was having a scuffle with an intruding male and it was good to hear Chaffinch, as these have been scarce recently.
David Williams has put up new “No cycling” notices on each of the four gates. Hopefully these will be respected and not vandalised. At least, there is no longer the excuse that people “didn’t know…..” Very many thanks, David – they look great. Thanks too, to my friend Paul, who took these pictures.
Friends of Paradise Nature Reserve 