Are snowdrops beneficial to wildlife?
Snowdrop: Craig Churchill (rspb-images.com)
Well, they don’t depend on pollinators to multiply as there are so few (if any) around when they bloom through January and February. They propagate themselves by seed and growing tiny new "bulblets" on the established bulbs. The clumps get bigger and they are easy to divide to create even more plants. If the sun comes out at the temperature warms a little, the odd spring bees may begin to emerge from hibernation and snowdrop nectar in the garden could be a lifeline until the other spring bulbs and plants emerge.
Early queen bumblebees have been known to feed on snowdrops when little else is available.
Now that plants are sprouting, we are definitely looking forward to spring and there are plenty of February jobs we can do to prepare to help our garden wildlife. Find tips from Butterfly Conservation on planting bulbs and seeds in February and more general advice from the RSPB on what to do in the garden this month. …and while we’re out there, at least we can enjoy the first blooms of the year from the beloved snowdrop.
If you’re out for your daily exercise or dog walk, there are some great places to see them in Suffolk and North Essex that may be local to you.
The Flatford Wildlife Garden is now closed for the rest of the winter season. Details of re-opening in Spring 2021 will be posted on this blog and the Flatford Wildlife Garden Website.