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Here are some things watch for as spring progresses.
Birds, Amphibians, Fish, Plants, Celestial Happenings |
 Red admiral |
Some butterflies hibernate in bark crevices and woodpiles. They make their first flight of the year on a warm day in early spring. These early risers are dark coloured so that they can warm up their flight muscles by basking in the sun. They are well camouflaged and look like an old brown leaf when they land with their wings folded.
Red admiral: early April
Eastern comma: April
Milbert's tortoiseshell: April
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 Mourning cloak: mid-March
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Grey comma: late-March
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There aren't a lot of nectar-rich flowers at this time of the season, so early butterflies feed on tree sap and (ewwww, yuck!) animal dung.
Snowfleas: March
If you're walking in the woods or in a park in late winter, look near the base of trees for sooty looking patches on the snow. Bend down and take a closer look — those sooty specks might be millions of tiny hopping snowfleas. These primitive insects are called springtails for the huge leaps they make with the help of a tail-like structure that folds under their abdomen.
Honeybees: March
After spending winter huddled in a tight mass in the middle of a hive, worker bees often make cleansing flights on warm days — kind of like a mass trip to the bathroom. Once they've relieved themselves, watch for them on bird feeders where they sip the watery mixture of corn dust that is often caught in the feeder tray.
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Stoneflies: March
Watch for adult stoneflies on the snow near fast-flowing clear streams and rivers. The young stoneflies or larvae live underwater. In late winter, adults emerge to feed on algae and mate. The females then lay eggs back in the water.
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