It is astonishing to see how these small delicate insects can take advantage of a couple of days of warm sunshine.

They appear from nowhere, but in fact have been waiting until conditions prove suitable enough for emergence from cocoon or larvae. Dragonfly larvae will emerge from the water early in the day and leave their old skeleton or exuvia behind, still clinging tightly to a stem of vegetation (see picture).

Unfortunately, conditions have not been settled long enough for butterflies and dragonflies to build up to numbers that we would normally expect to see. Usually at this time of year various species of butterfly are taking advantage of the generous supply of nectar that many of our garden flowers provide, yet this year even the buddleias have only the occasional colourful visitor.

Hopefully next year will be different.

The riverside often provides interesting sights and sounds for the sharp-eyed, the keen listener or the dead lucky. Recently, two individuals watched a young otter playing in the mill race above the Mill Hotel. Otters occasionally pass through Sudbury on their way to quieter locations but they would usually do so at night, so a morning sighting was particularly fortunate.

Following the great response to the request for volunteer rangers to come forward, a training programme in now being drawn up in readiness for the first group.

Over the coming months and years there will be opportunities for others to come forward and offer their time to this crucially important initiative to ensure that cattle continue to graze the Sudbury riverside. A small minority appears to be intent on mischief and trouble and could exert a disproportionate amount of negative influence on the historic riverside.

Everyone should work to ensure that the cattle remain and the historic tradition of grazing continues.

The landscape and the wildlife depend on it and a lot of people enjoy and appreciate it.