Where are the pollinators?

 

      The morning walk with the two terriers and although it's quite chilly at least the sun is shining and when the wind blows it's got a proper stingy edge to it, you can feel the cold. Being fifteen plus years old Barney mooches along just behind, to one side and in front of me, never going to far away while Lucie has energy to burn charging everywhere.

      It's as if she only has two speeds, fast and flat out. She's obsessed with the 25 acre wheat field now having caught and despatched her first rat out there in the greenery. Clinically done though, chased, caught by the neck, a shake, thrown in the air and it's all over. That sense of chase, catch, kill is definitely stamped on the Jack Russell genes and DNA.

      Walking through the orchard there's absolutely masses of fruit blossom but where are the pollinators? It's early though and there's just the odd big fat bumble bee lumbering around, maybe it's the cold and damp that is suppressing the insect life? Three days in the last week I've heard the Cuckoo and the first Swallows and House Martins have arrived from Africa but they're a week later than last year.

      Sunday morning and there are swarms of Hawthorn Flies everywhere on the fruit trees, they'll have the trout rising on the reservoirs and lakes. Hopefully they'll be pollinating the blossom and being a warmer day there are butterflies and bees too. They should help set the fruit and the forecast is warmer weather to come so maybe weatherise we've finally turned the corner into the real Spring.

      Walking along this aisle of Jonnagold apple trees it was finally alive with insect life and insects at work which is good to hear and hopefully there'll be tons of apples in the late Autumn.