To see queen bumblebees flying on frosty mornings never fails to astonish me and this winter is no exception.

It seems that even weak winter sunshine, if it touches their hibernation niche will awaken them and tempt them to venture out.

When we wish to warm ourselves outside, we may swing our arms back and forth. Bumblebees do something similar by vibrating their wings to warm up flight muscles before taking off.

Once airborne, they will search for nectar, very scarce now, but yellow flowered mahonia is a favourite plus garden centre displays and snowdrops when they appear.

Problems arise if the bees stay out too late and cold overcomes them before they find another spot in which to resume hibernation. Sometimes I find one frost covered and dead on the lawn.

Queen wasps, some flies, moths and five of our butterflies namely brimstone, comma, small tortoiseshell, red admiral and peacock hibernate with increasingly the painted lady joining them.

Sometimes they also fly out on mild days. The yellow brimstone, called by our forefathers the 'butter-coloured-fly', hence butterfly, will probably be the first we see but not until February.

The brimstone is our longest-lived species at just under a year, defying the old belief that butterflies only live for a day.

So, bumblebees, vital as the major pollinator in addition to a lesser extent with assorted flies moths and butterflies are all essential to the wellbeing of the environment. Without them crops would fail.