It’s a sure sign that spring has sprung.

Examiner photographer Simon Morley took these pictures of a carpet of bluebells in woodland at Dog Kennel Bank, Longley.

The well-loved flowers appear just before the woodland floor gets shaded out by trees coming into leaf and provide nectar for insects such as hoverflies, bees and butterflies.

Bluebells in woods on Dog Kennel Bank.

A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust – which is inviting people to take pictures of bluebells to post on its Facebook wall or tweet @YorksWildlife – said: “With sunlight still able to hit the forest floor, bluebells literally explode across many woodlands here in Yorkshire. The next couple of weeks will be the best time to see them in full bloom. With sheer numbers and their distinct colour they transform a woodland into a place like no other for a few precious weeks of the year.”

The UK is home to more than half the world’s population of the bluebell. They’re a protected species in the UK and must not be picked or dug up.