The snowdrops at Warley Place were looking magnificant this weekend!

Tags:   Warley Place Nature Reserve Snowdrop Spring Essex Wildlife Trust Great Warley Sunshine Essex Stems Leaves Flowers White Green Petals Delicate

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I have to confess I have never noticed Yew flowers before - amazing what you spot when you have a camera in your hand! - so these came as something of a revelation when I spotted them yesterday!

Tags:   Warley Place Nature Reserve Yew Male Flowers Macro Great Warley Essex Essex Wildlife Trust Taxus baccata

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The spring flowers were fantastic at Warley Place Nature Reserve today!
I love the way that crocuses open themselves up to the sunlight - gorgeous!

Tags:   Warley Place Nature Reserve Crocus Spring Essex Wildlife Trust Great Warley

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Didn't manage to get a picture of one of the bumblebees or honeybees that were busy today - but I did manage this Hoverfly!

(ID help welcomed!)

Tags:   Warley Place Nature Reserve Wild Hyacinth Hoverfly Great Warley Essex Essex Wildlife Trust Elite Bug

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I was happily taking pictures of the Blackthorn flowers, which herald the arrival of Spring, when I realised that this tiny beetle was crawling out of the flower - one of those lovely two for the price of one moments!

I think it's a Flea Beetle (because it was so small), from the Leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae), and from the tribe Alticini. There are about 130 different kinds of Flea Beetle in the UK! Some are serious pests because of the damge they do to their host plant.

The shadows on this picture are from the sun, not a flash! It was a beautiful, sunny morning!

Tags:   Flea Beetle Blackthorn Flower Buds Beetle Insect South Woodham Ferrers Essex Hedge Heralds of Spring White February Winter Shadow Blossom

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