ID GUIDE: EARLY SPRING POLLINATORS

Free nectar in return for pollen-moving services is an ancient, ongoing trade between plants and insects. These early pollinators assist early flowering plants, says Richard Jones

COMMON BEE-FLY

As it drinks nectar from a primrose with its long tongue, its wings beat so fast as to be invisible. It lays its eggs, bounce-bomb style, in the tunnels of solitary bees.

SHIELDBUG FLY

Its bizarre, broad coloured wings make it look like a shieldbug, which it parasitises. It visits cow parsley and other umbels in wet meadows, damp hedgerows and woody edges.

HAIRY-FOOTED FLOWER BEE

Like a small squat bumblebee. A squadron of brown and grey males (with feathery feet) will pursue a black female as she darts round red dead-nettle.

BROWN HOVERFLY

Slim and shiny with orangebrown hairs, it is one of several similar hoverflies. Sallow blossom, blackthorn colt’s-foot and dandelion are favourites; it also visits thistles to lay eggs.

ASHY MINING BEE

Distinctive white hairs on head and thorax contrast with a shiny blue-black abdomen in the female. Nests in well-drained soil. Often on gorse, hawthorn, buttercups and oil-seed rape.

EARLY BUMBLEBEE

The first bumblebee out has a lemon-yellow collar band on its thorax, an orange tail and frequently a yellow abdominal band. It visits colt’s-foot, sallow and dandelions.

BUMBLEBEE HOVERFLY

Very large eyes and long narrow wings help distinguish this superb bumble-mimic. It is either all-over orange-brown or has a black abdomen with pale tail-tip. Visits sallow blossom.

EARLY MINING BEE

The large broad females have a bright orange thorax, shining black abdomen and orange tail-tips; males are narrower, brown and black. Often seen on dandelion and wood anemone.

GARDEN BUMBLEBEE

Yellow bands across shoulder and thorax-abdomen join and a white tail. Its long head (and tongue) is linked to deep flowers such as dead-nettles, ground ivy, bluebells and comfrey.