[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Many animals including hedgehogs have emerged from hibernation and started foraging. Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Guardian
Just as it seemed that spring had arrived early, a cruel Siberian freeze has blown in and left wildlife in a state of confusion. Balmy temperatures in January were a wake-up call for many creatures, with reports of frogspawn in the West Country and West Wales, and sightings of ladybirds over southern England, even though ladybirds are supposed to spend the winter dormant in dense vegetation or bark crevices. A few butterflies have also been flitting around, particularly red admirals and peacocks, and even red-tailed bumblebees have buzzed around, identified by the red tail poking out from their big hairy bodies.
Some hibernating mammals also broke cover and started foraging. Small hedgehogs were seen wandering around, although their larger, older fellows have stayed hibernating. A few bats also took wing in brief forays before they returned to their roosts and sank back into hibernation. But there are serious risks to breaking hibernation this early, because it uses up valuable energy reserves before there is much food to find. And now the weather has turned cold, these early risers face being seriously weakened by the time the proper spring arrives.
Not all our mammals hibernate, though. Bloodcurdling noises are increasingly heard in towns and cities at night. They are the mating calls of foxes – the male fox makes short, sharp barks and are answered by the eerie scream of the vixen when she is ready to mate.
Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:01 pm
