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Celandines
The lesser celandine may be the gardeners nightmare, but it is also an important source of nectar for early spring invertebrates like bumblebees and butterflies. This photograph was taken in Netherbury churchyard.
Netherbury hedgehogs
The Netherbury hedgehog colony is an isolated population, so it needs all the help we can offer in order to have a chance to survive. One of the most lethal dangers to a hedgehog is a dog bite. The simplest way to avoid a dog biting a hedgehog is to let it out after dark to spend a penny wearing a muzzle. Dog muzzles only cost a few pounds and save hedgehogs from potentially horrendous injuries.
Orange Tip
Orange tip butterflies are on the wing during April and May. The insect is so-called because the males have distinct, bright orange patches on the tips of their forewings. The female has greyish patches in the same location. There is only one generation of this butterfly per year, so by the end of May, they will disappear. Look for them along the lanes around Netherbury, especially Hingsdon Lane where there is an abundance of spring flowers during April and May.