3 Signs that Spring is near!

It’s coming up to the time of year when the excitement of brighter weather and longer days sets in with the prospect of Spring and Summer just around the corner! But sometimes we may need some signs of life and growth to get us through the endless cloudy months, so I’m going to take you through three signs that suggest we’ve almost arrived at the sunny season…

1. Trees begin to bud.

During Winter, trees lose their leaves and become skeletons of the former soldiers they were back in Spring, Summer and Autumn. However, as the sun begins to peek from behind the miserable, grey clouds, the trees follow suit. As we enter months like March and April, the trees begin to bud, which means they will begin flowering and growing leaves. So, next time you’re out and about, whether that’s on the school run or in a garden, have a look at the trees and see if you can see any colour beginning to appear in our wilderness.

2. Longer days.

Due to the tilting of the Earth, the Northern Hemisphere (top half of the world), which Britain is situated upon, is leaning towards the sun during Summer. This leads to the things which many of us associate with Summer, like longer days and warmer weather. You will notice that by early March, the evenings have already begun to stay brighter for longer, and the sun is likely to already be shining when you wake in the morning (unless you are an early bird and get up before 7AM). This results in longer days, which are heightened by the return of British Summer time in late March!

3. Animals and insects waking up from hibernation.

To survive the cold and harsh weather that Winter brings, many mammals and insects go into hibernation, with some bird species even migrating to other, warmer countries. Animals like hedgehogs, mice and even frogs go into a state of rest known as hibernation, along with many insects like ladybirds and bees.

In the early Spring months, many of these creatures awake from this state, and you may start to see a few bumblebees flying about, and ladybirds resting on walls or windows. If you live near a pond, try visiting that to look for frogspawn (the eggs of frogs) which signal that frogs and toads have returned from their hibernation, and hence signal the return of Spring and Summer!

 

So when you next get the chance, look for these Spring signs, because little do you know it, Spring is almost here!