Wildlife Highlights: Wildlife in March: Making the most of Spring
This month, Lizzie tells us about wildlife in the UK that is coming out to enjoy the sunshine…
March is officially the start of Spring which means that many of the species we may have seen less of over winter are starting to become more active again. This month, I have written about some of the species that you can look out for in the UK this March.
Peacock butterfly by Erik Karits from Pexels
Butterflies
March is when some butterflies start to become more active after their period of dormancy over winter known as diapause (which can occur at any time of year during unfavourable conditions). As butterflies are ectotherms, they are unable to regulate their own body temperature and must bask in the sunlight to warm up enough to fly. Species to look out for include peacock butterflies, small tortoiseshell butterflies or red admiral butterflies.You are most likely to find them in sheltered spots basking in the sunshine, getting warmed up ready to fly.
White-tailed bumblebee by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Bees
As well as butterflies, you may see some queen bees flying around. In March, queen bumblebees emerge from underground, where they hibernate,to find somewhere to build an underground nest and lay eggs that will become sterile female worker bees. Honey bees are also emerging after hibernating over winter with workers huddling together with the queen bee and relying on stored food. After emerging, they will all be in need of nectar so will be attracted to flowers in gardens and meadows where you can look out for them.
Newts, Frogs and Toads
Common toad by Alsen on Pixabay
It is also worth keeping an eye out for increased activity in any local ponds in March as we see the return of newts, toads and frogs from brumation, a period of dormancy similar to hibernation. You may see spawn in your ponds from March onwards, though occasionally it can be seen in February as well. If the spawn is in clumps then it is frog spawn, if you see strands of spawn then it is toad spawn. Toads do not live in ponds, so have to migrate to breed. They often have mass migrations where large groups of toads all migrate to large ponds and lakes to breed at the same time. Once they have arrived at the pond, males will compete for females by fighting with each other.If the female is impressed then the male will jump on her back and they will mate.
Newts such as the Great Crested Newt also migrate to large ponds or small lakes in March, where they demonstrate an underwater courtship display. The male will swim around a female in a clearing at the bottom of the pond, flashing his tail which has a prominent silver stripe. The male will then stand on his front legs and wave his tail in front of the female before transferring a spermatophore (gelatinous package of sperm) to the female. If the courtship is successful then the female will receive the spermatophore and lay up to 300 eggs, wrapping them up in pond plants for protection.
Great crested newt by Rainer Theuer CC0 Public Domain
Adders
Male adders are also coming out of their brumation in March.Whilst they are very shy of humans, Spring is the best time to see them as they spend a lot of time basking in the sun. It is vital that males bask as they are also ectotherms and require the warmth from the sun in order to maintain their metabolism to be able to produce sperm. After basking in the morning, they will hunt for food which mainly consists of small rodents, but they will also eat lizards, frogs and even small birds. Females do not emerge until late April when they are ready to mate and males fight off competition in a ‘dance’. The males appear to be dancing as they wrestle for the females, with the larger, stronger males winning the right to mate.
Male adders wrestling by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation on Flickr CC0 Public Domain
Hedgehog by Alexas Fotos from Pexels
Hedgehogs
If you are lucky you might even see hedgehogs coming out of hibernation. They will be hungry and may have lost a third of their body weight during hibernation.This is a great time to start putting out supplementary food and water if you want to. Once they have replenished themselves, they will begin looking for a mate, though this doesn’t normally occur until late April with the first hoglets being born in May.
Birds
Long-tailed tit by Johnnys_pic Pixabay License
There is also the beautiful sound of bird song as we move into Spring. March is a busy month for many birds, whether that be building nests, laying eggs or even migrating. Long-tailed tits are finishing off their incredibly complex nests in March. Their dome-shaped nests are formed from moss stuck together with cobwebs,covered with lichen and stuffed with feathers. They will then lay an average of 8 eggs in early April.
Tawny owls have prepared their nests and are ready to lay their first clutch of eggs by the end of March. This allows them to make the most of hunting in the short grass when it is easier to find prey than later in Spring, when the longer grass provides too much cover.
Chiffchaffs are one of the first migratory species to arrive in the UK after spending the winter in warmer climates, with most arriving by late March. However, with the UK climate becoming warmer there are now approximately 1000 resident chiffchaffs that spend the whole year in the UK.
Thank you to Katie DeLusignan for her beautiful illustrations. You can find more of her work on her Instagram @katieponks.
LIZZIE DE LUSIGNAN
Lizzie is an MSci Zoology graduate from the University of Exeter, where she was then employed whilst living in South Devon. She now lives in Sheffield and works for Twinkl, helping those who teach. She has always loved exploring nature and whilst she now misses the coastal walks and chances of spotting a seal, she is making the most of having the Peak District on her doorstep. She became interested in the communication of conservation during her degree and since graduating she has decided to continue her passion for conservation through writing.