A butterfly, a fly and two bees!

While working in the Community Orchard in Hunstanton this morning I spotted my first butterfly of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell.  It was busy feeding on the early flowers of the White Comfrey plants.  This sighting, together with the beautiful sunny weather, prompted me to go and walk my butterfly transect at Ringstead Downs for the first time this year.  Unfortunately I didn't see any butterflies there, although there were a few flies and bees around the floriferous Gorse.  Sweet Violets were flowering well and a few flowers were beginning to appear on the Ground-ivy plants.  Later, back home and doing a bit of gardening, a Tree Bumblebee was busy in the crocus flowers and a Honey Bee was also busy at work.  I disturbed some Black Garden Ants and also, while repairing a water butt, found some Netted Slugs which proceeded to cover my hand with copious clear mucus!

Small Tortoiseshell on White Comfrey (Hunstanton Community Orchard)

Greenbottle Lucilla Caesar on Daisy (Hunstanton Community Orchard)

Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum on Crocus (Hunstanton)

Honey Bee Apis mellifera on Ipheion uniflorum (Hunstanton)