Jane V AdamsGuest posts for the Mark Avery “Standing Up For Nature” blog. Follow the dated links within this post to read each piece.
Get your feet out of my eyes!
I thought someone was having a laugh when I first heard about the feather-footed flower bee. Then I saw it. First published 2 April
Mercury rising
The atmosphere is charged. Mercury is rising, jolting the countryside back to life after the hiatus of winter. First published 27 February
Cause for celebration
As the days get longer and a little warmer, frogs start gathering at the garden pond. Frog spawning is often an overlooked wildlife event but should be a cause for celebration. First published 30 January
Jackdaws
Have you ever had a flying dream? I don’t mean a dream where you’re flying in an aeroplane, I mean a full blown flap-your-arms-and-fly kind of dream? First published 30 December
At least nature has benefited, hasn’t it?
This year I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read or heard people say, “at least nature has benefited from lockdown”, but what is the reality? First published 28 November
The smells in nature; the good, the bad and the ugly
We often forget about our sense of smell when we are in nature but are we missing out on an exceptional sensory experience? First published 31 October
Hunting for Ivy Bees
When the smell of ivy flowers reminds you of a bee, you don’t have a choice, you have to start searching. First published 26 September
The Scabby Plant
How an itchy skin condition leads to a lifelong love of a beautiful wildflower. First published 29 August.
Clutching at Straws
As lockdown eases, are people losing the love they discovered for nature? It kept us sane and gave us hope when things felt hopeless, but will we be there for nature when it needs us? First published 25 July
Stag beetles
A phone call from my local Wildlife Trust turns into something more than just a call-out to see stag beetles. First published 27 June
Wool-carder bee
After months of reading about the Wool-carder Bee (Anthidium manicatum), learning what it looked like, the habitat it preferred and the female’s habit of collecting hairs from leaves to line her nest, I was still bemoaning the fact that I hadn’t seen one. My friend was getting frustrated. First published 2 June
A chance encounter with a weevil
Did you know that some female weevils can lay fertile eggs without needing a male? Or that when threatened, some feign death by rolling onto their back? I certainly didn’t until a chance encounter sent me on a voyage of weevil discovery. First published 20 May