Snowdrops are blooming. Fortunately, they are resistant to a layer of snow and the frost that will certainly strike. They can handle temperatures down to -30°C. This is thanks to self-made ‘antifreeze’ in their leaves. Starch from the bulb is converted into sugars that act as ‘antifreeze’ in the leaves. Because they bloom so early, snowdrops are not dependent on pollinators to reproduce. Snowdrops reproduce mainly by dividing the bulb. That is why they are often so close together in large numbers. On warm days, a bumblebee may visit and ensure cross-pollination. In the forest edges, the yellow, hanging male catkins of the hazel stand out from far away. They are ready to produce pollen. In the meantime, the beautiful female flowers, with their red stigmas, of the hazel can also be seen. That is a real sign that spring is coming. Young bluebell leaves are starting to pierce through the old dry beech leaves here and there.
