Ants

Flying ants season is with us. Male ants emerging from their colonies to undertake nuptial flights with ant queens.

An eruption of biomass that should especially benefit

birds and bats.

I’m no ant expert but know we have four or five ant species here. Red or black or yellow. Lots of ‘em. Natures grafters. Giving everything for the team.

Last night we took an hours walk before dusk. I saw one swallow and that was fleetingly.

There should be an abundance of swallows, martins and swifts loading up on protein-rich flying insects.

Starlings and flycatchers should be in the wing. Green woodpeckers should be probing the warm ground and inserting long sticky tongues to draw out a welcome ant meal.

Is this what biodiversity crisis looks like?