La Palma - a paradise for pollinators

For all who are waiting for spring to arrive in the UK here are some pictures from La Palma (Canary Islands) where spring is in full swing at the moment. There are so many flowers on this island; it is incredible to see all the colour everywhere and the numerous pollinators have no trouble finding nectar and pollen. There are also lots of other interesting insects and spiders to see. Even the "weeds" look pretty and grow everywhere, covering fields, road verges, gardens and wasteland.

A pretty hoverfly on a crucifer fower

Bee visiting Purple viper`s bugloss (Echium plantagineum)

Bombus canariensis in Purple viper`s bugloss flower

Bombus canariensis approaching a flower

Tachinid fly on Marguerite daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens)

Bee wolf (Philanthus sp.) digging a tunnel in moist sand

Bee wolf (Philanthus sp.)

Honey bee visiting a Purple viper`s bugloss flower

Where am I? Blue-winged grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens)

Little solitary bee (Andrena sp.?) in Purple viper`s bugloss flower

Road verge with hundreds of poppies

Soltary bee in Purple milk thistle flower (Galactites tomentosa)

Canary speckled wood on Cineraria flowers (Pericallis papyracea)

Scarabaeid beetle on Palmeran sow thistle (Sonchus palmensis)

Honey bee approaching Purple milk thistle flower

This Cape sorrel (Oxalis pre-caprae) is visited by a honey bee

Brimstone butterfly drinking nectar from Pitch trefoil (Bituminaria bituminosa)

Canary white butterfly (Pieris cheianthi)

This hoverfly had a bad day and got caught by a Heather crab spider

Oil beetle (Meloe sp.)

Fields are often full of flowers