Bee-autiful inverts return

Despite a stiff southerly breeze taking the edge off the suns potential little, some of the inverts around the patch were not going to be held back any longer.
From the moth trap, two new species for the year, getting the year list up to 6 now.

Oak Beauty

Hebrew Character

At 12.15 on 7th March, the first Butterfly of the year slipped past me, a Small Tortoishell. At 12.16, the second Butterfly of the year, a bright yellow Brimstone was observed, and shortly after a second one. It was as if they had been released out of a nearby box.
Back home, the more sheltered environment was positively chuffing with buzzy things. The Hoverfly scene had kicked off, with a  Drone fly ( Eristalis tenax ) and a single Episyrphus balteatus.

There were also quite a few Honey Bees in the heather and around the Mahonia, but what excited me most were the 2 queen Buff -tailed  Bumble Bees  and a queen Tree bumble bee .... that were one the wing. Buff  tail queens are huge, real heavyweights, but cuddly with it.

Queen Tree Bumblebee

Buff -tailed Queen