The May Flower

Mon, 9 May 2016

Everyone thinks the mayfly lives for only one day - which is completely untrue. The adult mating insect may well only spend one day in the winged state flying around, mating and laying eggs but the larvae live for 2/3 years at the bottom of exceedingly clean lakes.

In fact when you see a swarm of mayflies over a lake in May it is an indication that the water is really clean and free from pollution and trout love them and leap up to eat them which is why trout fishermen make pretend mayfly lures to help them catch fish.

May bugs appear only in May! They are the adult form of the cockchafer. These larvae live in gardens feeding on the roots of roses and such like. In May when the weather warms up they turn into adults and fly around looking for mates. The males have the most marvellous antennae - like old fashioned television aerials - and they can smell a female 2 km away. They are attracted to light and often fly into people’s houses at night. 

The may bush is the hawthorn bush which comes into flower in May. The old expression: "Cast no clout till May is out" means don't take off your winter woolles until there are flowers on the May bush. It is bad luck to bring them into the house - they smell apparently like dead bodies!!