March 20th marked the first day of Spring here in the northern hemisphere. March 20th is the spring equinox which represents the time when the sun passes over the “celestial” equator. The “celestial” equator represents the point in the sky above the equator as the sun moves north marking the equilibrium of the Earth’s rotation around the sun. During this time, the northern and southern hemispheres receive roughly the same amount of sunlight. To celebrate this time of year, I am here to talk about some of the things that occur around this time of year that you can observe out in nature, possibly in your own backyard.
- Bee Swarms
- During the spring and summertime, bee colonies start to grow in numbers with worker bees leaving the need for more room in the hive. Bee swarms represent the movement of one colony of bees into two to help make more room in the hive. While scout bees look for other suitable locations for a new hive, the remaining bees stay in an area together taking care of the queen bee. Once scouts have settled on the new location for their new hive, these bees will make the move to the location.
- Nesting
- This time of years brings about a resurgence of nest building and baby animals throughout the animal kingdom. Lots of animals around this time of year will start preparing nests and shelters for both eggs and babies. It’s important to recognize that during this time, the animals that give birth are very vulnerable, but also very protective of their nests and young. You may start noticing signs here of animals nesting (such as alligator’s bellowing) or seeing baby animals start to appear. Spring is a time to be cautious and aware of new life.
- Migration
- Like humans, many animals will migrate south in the winter to escape cold temperatures in northern areas. During the springtime, these animals will start making their way north to escape the hot and humid weather in the summertime. This can occur after nesting season for several animals such as whales, turtles, and geese who travel to nesting sites in the wintertime and who take advantage of abundant feeding and breeding grounds in the south.
Sources Used:
First Day of Spring 2023: The Spring Equinox| The Old Farmer’s Almanac
Guide to Bee Swarming – Everything You Should Know – Bees4life