Warm weather and insects?

[laetoli]

MetOffice data shows that this spring (Mar/Apr/May) has been the warmest in Central England since records began 1659 and the warmest UK wide since records began in 1910. My photos of my garden last year show than my hawthorn flowered 3-4 weeks earlier than it did last year - this is the same for most plants.

How has this affected our insects, particularly those that are dependent on specific plants? Are some missing out on their food because it's been and gone before they've come out of hiberation?

Take care,
Paul

[Klaas Reißmann]

Hi Paul,

that is no problem for the insects. They start earlier in the year, like their feeding plants do. Insects hide in the ground, under dead leafes and so on. They "keep an eye" on humidity, temperature and other things. And all together makes them comming out. They don't have a calendar saying: "It's May, time to come out!" Best example for me always is the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus).

If there is a cold spring in Southgermany one does not find any until June. If the spring is warm, one can find them at the end of April.

Regards
Klaas

[laetoli]

That's good to hear, thanks Klaas.