The wonderful Dove Tree (Davidia involucrata) in Kynaston Gardens is in flower at the moment.  This tree is from China where it is endangered in the wild.

It has the most amazing flowers with big balls of anthers beneath huge white bracts. 

Each ball also has a small stigma hidden between the ball and the bract.  Presumably this is 'designed' for pollination by a Chinese insect, perhaps a bee.…

Adela reaumurella - male

These amazing looking little moths are part of a group of micro moths called longhorns (for obvious reasons).  They can currently be found flapping around trees and shrubs in Abney on warm days.

The larvae feed on dead oak leaves.

For a full list of species recorded in Hackney see the most recent list produced…

Apologies for the tabloidesque headline but these fellas are gorgeous.  Orange tip butterflies are just emerging and they look amazing when fresh like this male in Abney a couple of days ago.

The larvae feed on garlic mustard.  The adults emerge from April to May and are a sure sign spring is here.

Not content with stunning orange and white upper wings they also have…

I was in Abney yesterday and found a mining bee hole with it's little volcano entrance.  As I squatted and waited patiently for the bee to return for a photo an interesting sequence developed.

First a bee came along, appeared confused and went away again, possible because I'd interfered with the ivy above the nest and or there was a big lump of me that wasn't there…