What to spot in April
Buds are bursting and bees are buzzing!
Finally, after months of cold, wind, rain and snow, summer is on the horizon. Blue tits and great tits are starting to nest around now, while house sparrows, robins and blackbirds may already be sitting on their eggs.
Spring flowers such as crocuses, primroses and grape hyacinths are providing vital pollen and nectar for queen bumblebees, while the first of the nettles are sprouting in time for egg-laying peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies. Keep an eye out, too, for early ladybirds – avoid the temptation to remove aphid clusters from plants, as they provide food for those further up the food chain.
You may spot…
Common toad (Bufo bufo)
The common toad is, sadly, less common than the common frog, having declined by 68 per cent over the past 30 years. Although similar looking to common frogs, they have several identifying features: toads have dry, warty, skin, as opposed to the green and wet of frogs; toads have amber eyes, while common frogs have green eyes and a black eye patch; and toads crawl, while frogs hop.
Their behaviours differ, too. Toads remain more faithful to traditional breeding grounds than frogs, meaning you’re less likely to attract them to a new garden pond (but don’t let that stop you trying!). Toads prefer larger, deeper ponds. In spring, toads return en masse to their breeding pond. Like frogs, the males grasp onto the females and fertilise the spawn externally. The toad spawn is laid in ribbons.
Like the adults, toad tadpoles are mildly poisonous, so predators avoid eating them. This gives them an advantage over frog and newt larvae.
Also be on the lookout for…
Red mason bees – the females lay eggs in hollow stems, then seal them with mud. If you have a bee hotel, you may spot them flying to and fro, carrying mud or pollen.
Queen wasps – having emerged from hibernation, they visit flowers for nectar before scraping wood from trees, fences and benches to start a new ‘paper’ nest.
Newts in your pond – they breed later than frogs and toads but will be busy feeding up on frog tadpoles to get into peak breeding condition.
And don’t miss...
National Gardening Week starts on 26 April – visit bit.ly/NGW-2021 for wildlife-gardening activities.
The common toad is less common than the common frog, having declined by 68 per cent over the past 30 years