When the sun comes out, so do the insects, and, during last Friday’s walk along the coastal path, after failing to find the birds I was hoping for, I was very pleased to spot my first two hoverflies of the year basking on ivy leaves in the weak sunshine.

I wasn’t surprised that the first I saw was this Marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), as it’s the most common hoverfly in Britain, and, though adults are known to hibernate, they will emerge on warmer winter days.

This second hoverfly is Meliscaeva auricollis, a species that’s one of the first to emerge in the spring and then has a very long flight period, though its numbers are greatest towards the end of summer.