RYDA Newsletter 03/2025

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Most obvious are bumble bees, which make a loud buzzing noise as they fly by, as if they are impatient for mere humans to get out of their way. The ones you see at this time of year are enormous queens that have emerged from hibernation (species include buff-tailed, white-tailed and garden bumble bees,

all of which look rather similar, and the red-tailed bumble bee, which is a bit more distinct). It is only the new queens of these species that overwinter in this way, having mated the previous autumn: the workers, males and last year's queens all die at the end of the summer.

The new queens have thick fur which enables them to fly when other insects are still dormant, and their first task is to look for a hole (for example an abandoned mouse hole) in which to create their new colony. For this reason they are usually flying close to the ground. When they have found a suitable site, they amass a lump of pollen larger than themselves to provide food for their first offspring. Once the colony is established - usually sometime in May - there are workers to do the food gathering and the queen then spends the rest of her life underground, producing larvae.

Queen wasps also emerge from their winter dormancy and look around for nest sites, and on blossom or flowers you may be surprised to hear the rather summer-like hum of honeybees, the only bee species in which the whole colony overwinters.

Other bees that can be on the wing in March, include the common carder bee (another type of bumble bee, basically, identifiable by its tawny thorax: it is particularly fond of feeding on white and red deadnettle), as well as solitary bee species that do not live in colonies, but simply mate and lay eggs to produce young.

Insects slowly reappear in March, but this depends on how warm the weather is. Not surprisingly there are relatively few in the first half of the month, but towards the end there can be a noticeable uptick.

Hoverflies also appear as the month goes on, in various sizes from the tiny upwards. They are the principal pollinators of wood anemones. Many hoverflies have evolved to look like bees to discourage predators: however, no bee hovers, which is one way of telling them apart. Smaller hoverflies and male mining bees (which are smaller than the females) account for some of the smaller insects you see feeding on dandelions, a popular pollen source at this time of year.

One other hovering insect which also appears at this time is the charming bee fly, which has a furry, chubby body, and feeds from flowers such as grape hyacinth and primrose much like a hummingbird, using its long proboscis. It has a not so charming breeding habit, however, being a cuckoo bee that flicks its eggs (weighted with sand) into other bee and wasp nests: its larvae then eat the young of the host species.

Spiders become slightly more active as the weather warms, but they are very unobtrusive: you may see a tiny one scuttling across a footpath. Ants, who seal up their nests in winter, can also be seen scurrying about.

Typically, the yellow brimstone butter fly, (but brilliantly disguised as a pale green leaf when at rest with its wings closed) is the first you see, flying purposefully across the landscape. But also look out for the peacock - you may disturb them from country paths, where they lie basking in the sun - or the comma, with its jagged wing edges.

Have you seen the animated film "Bee Movie"? Aimed at children, but a brilliant film, it explains the life of a bee, and what would happen if there were no more bees.

Look out too for seven-spot ladybirds basking in the sun - they metamorphosed from larvae to adults at the end of last summer and have lain dormant all winter: now their task is to breed. On warmer days later in the month you may also see dock or shield bugs on a similar mission.

Planning

Among the planning applications this month is one for a change of origin for the roof slates on the 125 houses being built at Collaton.

Condition 11 of the original approval (3335/21/FUL) required the slate to be natural and of UK or EU origin. The covering letter with the application, long but worth reading, (click link: https://southhams.planning-register.co.uk/Planning/Display/0351/25/VAR then see Supporting Information / Covering letter), states that "It is common knowledge that the costs of construction have hit the house building sector hard in recent years. This continues in 2025 with increased contractors’ costs, increased overhead costs, and material cost inflation – this, together with slow rates of sale - - - etc. ).

The letter claims many items of increased costs (35 mentions of cost/costs). Although the issue of roof slate origin is a minor change, and hope that costs stabilise, do we need to be prepared for future changes to some of the more significant conditions within the application?

Whats On?

1st March 10.00 Brookings Down Wood working party.

4th March 12.00 1st Tuesday lunch club at WIC hall Newton Ferrers £6 Allergies can be catered for. New members welcome. Please contact Jeanne (872442)

4th March Parish Council Drop In Surgery Newton Ferrers Post Office 10.00 - 12.00

4th March Pancake Party 4.30-6.00 Holy Cross Church All Welcome

8th March Holbeton Flim Club - Hard Miles 7.00 for 7.30 £4

A prison social worker assembles a cycling team of teenage convicts and takes them on a transformative 1,000-mile ride. Inspired by the life of Greg Townsend and the Ridgeview Academy cycling team.

11th March 2pm WI Winter coffee and chat WIC hall

14th March 10.00 - 12.00 Life on the Edge Mosaic craft session Knighton Room Wembury Memorial Hall email lote@southdevon-nl.org.uk to book your free place.

15th March Brookings Down Wood working party 10.00am

17th March Stroke Survivors Coffee Morning 10.30 WIC meeting room.

17th March 10.00 U3A Flower arranging Noss Village hall £10.00 bookings only.

18th March 2.00pm WI Monthly meeting. The speaker is Sheila Parker

Her talk is "from Tiller Girl to Vernon girl" and she has anecdotes about the stars she worked with like Cliff Richard.

20th March 10.00 Cancer and coffee chat @ the Rose and Crown, Yealmpton

22nd March RBL concert at Holy Cross Newton Ferrers 6.00pm "March with the Band" Salamanca Rifles & Noss Wailers. Tickets include a glass of wine and refreshments. Tickets £20 from Lesley Challacombe 872233 lesley@coldvalley.co.uk or Tubbs Pharmacy

25th March YGS talk on Passion Flowers with Steve and Dawn Morgan. WIC hall 7.00pm

25th March WI craft group Knit and natter 2.00pm new members welcome

27th March Thursday Lunch CLub 12.15 Newton & Noss Village hall. £6. Please contact mrandmrsbarnett@gmail.com Allergies can be catered for, also vegetarian option available. New Members welcome.

29th March Brookings Down Wood working party 10.00

29th March Parish COuncil Annual Parish meeting WIC hall 4.00pm

20th March "Girls Night Out" 25th Anniversary concert Holy Cross 7.00pm Ticket £6 tracy.pl8@gmail.com fundraising for the Mustard Tree Cancer Support Centre & Star Scheme Charities in support of the Mayflower Atlantic Challenge.