Our churchyard in APRIL
What is your favourite sign of Spring? And is it an indication of the Summer to come, or is it a reflection of the weather we’ve had over the last year?mm
On looking in the churchyard in March, you may think that it hasn’t yet woken up from its winter slumbers. No daffodils, snowdrops or gambolling lambs. But take a look at the yew trees alongside Church Road. Look closely at the ends of the branches of the Westernmost two of the trees (you don’t need a compass, just remember the church is aligned East-West) and you will see rows of very small - only a few millimetres across - orange-yellow cones, arranged round the ends of the branches rather lie miniature brussel sprouts.
Tap the branch gently: note the cloud of pollen that is released, Normally, this comes about by the action of wind on the branches Indeed, if you look at a large tree on a windy day, you will see that every gust brings what looks like bonfire smoke coming from the tree, so great is the quantity of pollen.
One of the delights of this time of year is seeing the first bumblebees and butterflies take wing. Matthew Oates, writing in The Times, says that his is only the fourth time in over 60 years of butterflying that this season has opened with a Comma. Normally it is the male Brimstone that wakes first from hibernation.
He questions what this foretells, if anything, but if it does, we are in for a different summere here in Sussex than he will have. My first butterfly was a Brimstone. The Comma was thirdm after a Red Admiral: I’m not sure that this counts as this butterfly will often be tempted out of hibernation on a warm day in winter and indeed can be seen fluing in any month of the year.
What is certain is that we are in desperate need of a good spring, and summer for the sake of butterflies and other winged insects. Last year saw a very cold spring, followed by too much rain an very strong winds. There were very few sunny days until the end of July. Many insects only live for a few weeks - days even - in their adult form, in which they can mate and lay their eggs. If the weather keeps them down for those days, then there will be fw eggs to carry on the cycle to the next generation.
Humans are not the only ones to be wishing for a nice summer!
Nigel Symington