Butterfly Conservation Ireland’s reserve in Lullybeg, Kildare, is a special place for the Marsh Fritillary and many other butterflies, moths, dragonflies, and other species. The reserve is monitored using the transect count method, which involves counting all butterflies within a 5-metre square area along a fixed route walk in favourable weather each week between 1st April and 30th September, a total of 26 weeks.
The final count of 2026 was made on September 28th. Despite the late September date, 43 individual butterflies were counted:
Small Copper 2, Red Admiral 23, Painted Lady 1, Small Tortoiseshell 5, Comma 15, Speckled Wood 2.
The Comma is numerous in the reserve this autumn. The Commas are feeding on nectar from Devil’s-bit Scabious to prepare to hibernate in wooded areas in the reserve and nearby.Comma in full light: in the wild, it looks luminous in bright sunshine. This photo was taken on 28 September.
This year, Jesmond Harding and Pat Wyse made the counts using the forms containing the standardised methodology issued by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. The results, sent to the National Biodiversity Data Centre, also appear in Butterfly Conservation Ireland’s Annual Report. These can be found here: https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/report/
Small Tortoiseshell, Lullybeg Reserve, on 28 September. This butterfly will join the Comma in hibernating in wooded areas.
The reserve supports an excellent diversity of woodland and grassland butterflies, and the area is managed to maintain the supporting habitats.
The conservation applied this September was cattle grazing. Cattle effectively maintain the undulating structure in grassland. Cattle graze less selectively than sheep and graze higher up in the vegetation. This creates a patchwork of sward heights, which creates greater floral diversity. Cattle also reduce sward heights, which increases light penetration and raises temperatures close to the surface of the soil. The temperatures just above the surface are crucial for many caterpillars. Poaching by cattle exposes the soil, which is excellent for butterflies like the Dingy Skipper, which enjoys basking on unvegetated surfaces. Poaching also exposes seed to light, supporting germination.
Poaching by cattle is important for butterflies because it creates basking surfaces for adult butterflies and heats adjoining vegetation, aiding larval development.
Butterfly Conservation Ireland would not be able to provide these benefits without help from local farmer Philip Doyle. Philip shows his care for local nature by delivering the cattle, ensuring that the fencing is suitable and that the animals have the water they need. We are grateful to Philip for this vital assistance.
Cattle create a range of sward heights. The dominant grass here is Purple Moor-grass, which the cattle tackled, despite its toughness.This Red Admiral was photographed in Lullybeg Reserve on 28 September. At this time of the year, most Red Admirals are taking nectar to prepare for movement to Europe, where they will breed.Cattle, the butterfly’s friend, grazing in Lullybeg.
Lullybeg Reserve is one of only two reserves in Ireland managed for butterflies. The other, Lullymore West Bog Reserve, which is nearby, is managed by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council. These reserves benefit from support from members of both organisations. Please continue to support the conservation and research taking place in both reserves.
The golden September we often get is not ours in 2026, but many sunny Septembers offer a modicum of compensation for miserable summers. Summer 2026 was glorious, surpassing 1976 and 1989. Will it pass into the collective memory as a standout summer? That might depend on how we interpret climate data. We are in a time when hot, sunny weather is characterised as evidence of the collapse of the stability that has long characterised the global climate. Can’t we enjoy a hot summer without worrying? Apparently not.
That is not to be flippant about climate change, whether human-induced or arising from other influences. However, a remarkable feature of lepidopteran ecology is the rapid response to changing seasonal, climatic and environmental conditions. Changing climatic conditions can mean that ecological conditions within an area that were previously unsuitable for breeding become available for breeding. This is happening in Europe, Britain and Ireland.
The northward shift in butterfly and moth ranges is particularly evident in Europe, where range expansion does not require crossing water bodies. Species like the Map butterfly and the Peacock butterfly are extending their European range northward. The Brown Argus, formerly confined to breeding on Common rock-rose in the warmest habitats on chalk and limestone grassland in Southern England and Wales, has now expanded its British range, using cranesbills in cooler grasslands because the warming climate allows it to use these larval foodplants. Some species do not benefit from the warming climate, and some species benefit from the increasing warmth in some parts of their range and suffer declines in other regions.
Range expansions in continental Europe influence Britain and Ireland to a lesser degree; many species expanding on the continent will avoid crossing seas. However, migrant species are more mobile, and some show indications of establishing populations in these islands.
The most notable expansion from an Irish viewpoint is the Comma. Unknown in the Republic of Ireland before 2000, it has now been recorded in more than half of Ireland’s 10km squares, and its northward and westward expansion continues.
The lush Stinging Nettles along damp hedgerows, wood rides and edges, riverbanks and elsewhere suit it perfectly. It is thriving, producing two generations and is now a staple part of the butterfly experience in the east and midlands. Hedges holding blackberries and flowering ivy are the places to look in the general farmed countryside; wet grasslands and dry limestone grasslands with Devil’s-bit Scabious are also likely per-hibernation feeding grounds.
Comma at Lullybeg, County Kildare. This butterfly was feeding on Devil’s-bit Scabious.
A stay-at-home butterfly to look for in September is the Brimstone. Most are in hibernation, but a few still feed on late flowers, especially Devil’s-bit Scabious, before disappearing into woods, scrub and dense grassland vegetation until next spring.
This lovely male Brimstone is on Devil’s-bit Scabious in Lullybeg, County Kildare. In September they will gather, often in numbers, to feed on flowers very near trees and scrub, where they will pass the rest of autumn and winter.
A glorious autumn moth that flies in a single generation in September-October is Merveille du Jour Griposia aprilina. Its scientific name is a strange choice. Linnaeus named it after April, when it is a larva, munching on oak leaves. Perhaps Linnaeus was thinking of the moth’s verdant colouring when composing the name. The moth is best imagined on oak boughs encrusted with lichens, where the moth becomes virtually invisible.
What is the main tool used by the state to protect the Marsh Fritillary butterfly?
The Marsh Fritillary is the only insect in Ireland that has legal protection. How is this implemented, and how successful is this effort?
Under the EU Habitats Directive 1992, certain geological features, habitats and species must be protected within Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). One of the species is the Marsh Fritillary butterfly. Ireland had to identify areas important for the Marsh Fritillary butterfly and designate them as Special Areas of Conservation. This was also required of European Union countries with populations of the butterfly. Where an area is designated for the butterfly, the butterfly is named as a ‘qualifying interest’ for the Special Area of Conservation. The full list of Ireland’s SACs can be found here:
Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites) [6210] is a qualifying interest. This habitat is in the central Burren.How many Special Areas of Conservation have been designated for the Marsh Fritillary?
Ireland listed 12 SACs with the Marsh Fritillary as a qualifying interest (other qualifying interests are listed too). The 12 sites are listed here:
A check of the documents available for each site at https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites is interesting reading. The documents consist of
1. Conservation Objectives: these aim to define favourable conservation conditions for particular habitats or species at that site. The Conservation Objectives state whether the Marsh Fritillary is present and the area of suitable habitat within the SAC.
2. Site Synopsis: this states the site location, and summarises the habitats, species, and importance of the site and comments on any threats to the site’s conservation values.
3. Statutory Instrument (SI) and SAC maps: The SI designates the SAC, states the qualifying interest species and habitats, and sets out the activities that require ministerial consent. The maps identify the area occupied by the SAC.
What do the Conservation Objective Reports tell us about the butterfly’s status on the sites?
The Marsh Fritillary was recorded in just four of the 12 SACs where the butterfly is named as a ‘qualifying interest’. These are:
1. Bricklieve Mountains and Keishcorran SAC
2. East Burren Complex SAC
3. Moneen Mountain SAC
4. West of Ardara/Maas Road SAC
Bunduff, Sligo. The area contains fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes) [2130], humid dune slacks [2190], machairs (* in Ireland) [21A0], semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites) [6210], and alkaline fens [7230], all habitats for the Marsh Fritillary.My records indicate it is extinct in Ballynafagh (last recorded 1999) and Killarney (last recorded 2006); the Barrigone report states that there are no confirmed records for that site. Remarkably, the Barrigone report states:
The association of the species with the SAC derives from a paper by Lavery (1993) which refers to a site called Foynes/Barrigone as one of three major populations in Ireland. A 2012 survey did not find the species in the SAC (Wilson et al., 2013).
Was Lavery correct when he wrote the paper? Did NPWS undertake a survey to confirm the species before the site was designated? Why is the Marsh Fritillary listed as a qualifying interest if it is absent?
The area occupied by the Marsh Fritillary at Barrigone has dried out and is now overgrown with scrub. Geoffrey Hunt, a reliable recorder, has searched the area regularly since 1998 and has not seen any Marsh Fritillary on the site. Geoffrey’s knowledge of the site raises questions concerning this statement from the site’s Conservation Objectives report:
In 2012, just over 9ha of habitat was assessed as suitable for the species (NPWS, 2019).
Is there any suitable habitat at Barrigone?
The Conservation Objective reports for the following four sites where the Marsh Fritillary is a qualifying interest for the SAC do not even mention the butterfly:
1. Bunduff Lough and Machair/Trawalua/Mullaghmore
2. Gweedore Bay and Islands SAC
3. Sheephaven SAC
4. St. John’s Point SAC.
I visited Bunduff Lough and Machair/Trawalua/Mullaghmore SAC (terrestrial area 1,812.12ha) and St. John’s Point SAC (terrestrial area 152.08ha) and found larval webs within these sites. However, while I did not measure the area of suitable habitat on these sites, the areas are not extensive.
I calculated the combined area of the SACs (excluding maritime areas for coastal sites) and, where provided, the area of suitable habitat for the butterfly. In two Burren SACs, NPWS estimated suitable habitat. Combined, the 12 SACs contain 159,647.26 hectares. The total suitable habitat stated is 5,725.2 hectares.
The ratio of suitable habitat in hectares to overall terrestrial area in these SACs is 1:28. There is one hectare of suitable habitat for the Marsh Fritillary for every 28 hectares of land.
The Clooncoose district north of Kilnaboy contains a large area of suitable habitat for the Marsh Fritillary. In this area, the species occurs at a landscape level.
The Marsh Fritillary occupies the landscape in a metapopulation structure. It needs a network of sites within a region for long-term survival. In England, the minimum figure is 50ha (50ha2 is ½ km2) of suitable habitat within an area of 16km2 (1600ha) Bulman et al., 2007. (This ratio is 1ha: 32ha.). Modelling suggests the species may persist in areas below this area for decades, but extinction will eventually result unless additional habitat is provided. Irish research is needed concerning this aspect (NPWS, 2019).
If the ecology of the Marsh Fritillary reflects that in England, the combined habitat area across the 12 SACs designated to protect the species slightly exceeds the minimum threshold needed for long-term survival.
However, taken on a regional basis, only the two Burren SACs, which are extensive (but much smaller than the Connemara and Killarney SACs), contain habitat that significantly exceeds the minimum required. The Burren SACs and the habitat and habitat ratios are:
East Burren Complex (18800.65 ha (188 km2)): 3,200 ha (32 km2): ratio 1:6 and Moneen Mountain (6100ha (61 km2): 2,500ha (25 km2): ratio 1:2.4.
A thorough calculation of the ratio in regions holding the smaller SACs would need to factor in any suitable habitat adjoining the SAC to assess the species on a regional basis. It must be stressed that the exercise undertaken here is unrefined. The SACs in question are, in most cases, separated by significant distances and cannot be said to reflect the metapopulation structure of the species, so extrapolating the ratio of suitable habitat to the area in the SACs as a whole inadequately represents the ratio situation described by Bulman et al., which could be much lower in some areas.
The absence of detailed management plans for some SACs is another problem. How do we know if the habitat is being managed correctly? In this regard, it must be emphasised that the Burren’s populations are safe, for now.
Marsh Fritillary egg mass, Lullybeg Reserve, County Kildare.
This cannot be said of many populations elsewhere. Look at Barrigone, once regarded as one of the three major populations in Ireland. Look at Killarney and Ballynafagh, where it is either very rare or no longer occurs. These are sites where protecting the Marsh Fritillary is a conservation priority.
Protecting the butterfly means protecting its habitat, which preserves many important habitats and species. The absence of the butterfly highlights poor habitat quality, bad practice and lack of care. In the view of this author, the summative assessment is ‘poor result is due to the lack of serious effort.’
The formative assessment is to apply the required habitat management techniques to restore and maintain habitat within SACs and expand the network of protected areas and manage these areas to meet the minimum habitat size of 50ha within 16km2 to ensure this lovely butterfly’s long-term survival.
The Marsh Fritillary often needs intervention to preserve its population, especially grazing.
Reserves Protecting the Marsh Fritillary
Two areas set aside for nature, where the land is specifically managed for the Marsh Fritillary, are Butterfly Conservation Ireland’s Crabtree Reserve in Lullybeg, and the Irish Peatland Conservation Council’s Lullymore West Butterfly Reserve, both in County Kildare. Both sites hold long-term, thriving populations. Both sites are managed for the butterfly. In August 2026, surveys found over 80 larval webs at these sites.
Marsh Fritillary larval web in August 2026, Lullybeg Reserve, County Kildare.
How is the Marsh Fritillary doing in Ireland?
An Atlas of Butterflies in Ireland 2010-2021, published in 2025, provides interesting information about the distribution of the Marsh Fritillary in Ireland.
The Atlas shows the species distribution in three periods: 1900-2010, 1995-2010 and 2010-2021. The number of occupied 10km squares in each of the periods is:
1900-2010: 435 (42.7%)
1995-2010: 248 (24.3%)
2010-2021: 355 (34.7%)
The distribution differs significantly across the three time spans, but the figures for the two most recent periods, when recording was more systematic, are more relevant.
A key issue arising with the 2010-2021 recording period is that in 100 of the 353 10km squares, only a single Marsh Fritillary was recorded. The Marsh Fritillary is a colonial species. A single butterfly is not evidence of a colony. If these 100 squares are discounted, this leaves its distribution at 24.8% of Ireland’s 10km squares. This would mean its distribution has remained almost unchanged since the 1995-2010 recording period.
Marsh Fritillary male upperside, Lullybeg, County Kildare.
Nevertheless, the distribution change reported in the Atlas in the 2010-2021 period is +43%, indicating a positive trend. This positive finding is supported by the findings of the most recent report by the state to the EU Commission, ‘The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland 2025′, which assessed the Overall Status of Marsh Fritillary as
Favourable, which represents a genuine improvement since the Inadequate assessment reported in 2019. The change is because of an improvement in the future prospects for range, population and habitat for the species. Threats and pressures do exist but are not considered to be severe or extensive. The overall trend is improving. (NPWS, 2025, Vol. 1, p.52 )
However, this report states that 90% of Ireland’s EU priority habitats are in unfavourable condition, including several habitats used by the species: Molinia meadows, orchid-rich calcareous grassland, alkaline fens, wet heaths, dry heaths, alpine and sub-alpine heaths, machair, dune slacks.
For example, the assessment for orchid-rich calcareous grassland concludes:
Despite a number of conservation-focused farming schemes which bring about localised and regional improvements, the Overall Status is assessed as Bad with a deteriorating trend due to on-going habitat losses mainly associated with unsuitable grazing regimes, agricultural intensification causing loss of species-rich communities, and abandonment of farmland resulting in succession to scrub. This result is unchanged from 2019 (NPWS, 2025, Vol. 1, p. 29 ).
The assessment of Molinia meadows concludes:
The Overall Status is Bad, as it has been for the last three monitoring periods, and the overall trend is still deteriorating, due to on-going losses of habitat. Significant historical losses of this habitat have also occurred since the EU Habitats Directive came into force. The main pressures on the habitat are associated with agricultural intensification (e.g. land drainage, fertiliser application), undergrazing and forestry (NPWS, 2025, Vol. 1, p. 30).
The loss drivers identified are common to many other habitats used by the species. A new threat, renewable energy infrastructure, threatens colonies in cutover bogs.
The development of scrub on Marsh Fritillary habitats on cutover bogs eventually removes breeding habitat. Colonies on cutover bogs are often temporary.
The Marsh Fritillary also occurs in habitats that do not correspond to the habitat types described in the manuals used to identify EU-protected habitats. The factors mentioned above also threaten these habitats. In addition, many midland populations are in cutover bogs where cutting has ceased. These are becoming overgrown with scrub and woodland, shading the habitats and removing the butterfly; the Marsh Fritillary is shade intolerant.
Cotesia bignelli, a major parasite of Marsh Fritillary. This wasp infects and eventually kills the caterpillars.
Conclusion
The continuing decline in the status of EU priority habitats in Ireland threatens many species, including Ireland’s only legally protected insect, the Marsh Fritillary. Unless the loss of habitat is stopped, the butterfly, which is rarely found more than 15km from a known colony and which has disappeared from many areas in northern Europe, will lose its ability to move around in the landscape, key to its capacity to repopulate sites where it has gone extinct due to the impacts of parasitism, unsuitable weather and deterioration of habitat.
Ireland has a low number of butterfly species. Can’t we protect the few we do have?
Marsh Fritillary female, firebreak, Lullybeg, County Kildare.
All photographs copyright J.Harding
References
Bulman, C.R., Wilson, R.J., Holt, A., Galvez Bravo, L., Early, R., Warren, M.& Thomas, C.D. (2007) Minimum viable metapopulation size, extinction debt, and the conservation of a declining species. Ecological Applications 17: 1460–1473.
Harding, J. & Lysaght, L. (Eds.) (2025) An Atlas of Butterflies in Ireland 2010-2021. The National Biodiversity Data Centre, Waterford.
NPWS (2019). The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Volume 3: Species Assessments. Unpublished NPWS report. Edited by: Deirdre Lynn and Fionnuala O’Neill
NPWS (2025). The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Volume 1: Summary Overview. Unpublished NPWS report.
Edited by: Domhnall Finch, Aoife Delaney, Fionnuala
O’Neill and Deirdre Lynn
NPWS (2021) Conservation Objectives: Ballynafagh Lake SAC 001387. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
NPWS (2019) Conservation Objectives: Barrigone SAC 000432. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
NPWS (2021) Conservation Objectives: Bricklieve Mountains and Keishcorran SAC 001656. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
NPWS (2015) Conservation Objectives: Bunduff Lough and Machair/Trawalua/Mullaghmore SAC 000625. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
NPWS (2015) Conservation Objectives: Connemara Bog Complex SAC 002034. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
NPWS (2022) Conservation Objectives: East Burren Complex SAC 001926. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
NPWS (2015) Conservation Objectives: Gweedore Bay and Islands SAC 001141. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
NPWS (2021) Conservation Objectives: Moneen Mountain SAC 000054. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
NPWS (2017) Conservation Objectives: Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment SAC 000365. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
NPWS (2014) Conservation Objectives: Sheephaven SAC 001190. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
NPWS (2015) Conservation Objectives: St. John’s Point SAC 000191. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
NPWS (2015) Conservation Objectives: West of Ardara/Maas Road SAC 000197. Version 1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The stress imposed by continuing heat and dryness on habitats in a region with thin, free-draining soil and permeable limestone rock was evident in the vegetation, notably the Hazel scrub, which in some places had brown, shrivelled foliage in place of the usual lush green. The grassland vegetation had a distinctive straw colour more typical of southern Europe.
Another feature of the sustained warmth, indicated by the fourth consecutive month when maximum temperatures exceeded 30 Celsius, is the advancement of the season. Some butterflies emerged earlier, while some double-brooded butterfly species (e.g., Small Copper) produced small second broods, possibly due to reduced larval foodplant quality.
Despite the challenges of the changing climate, the Burren is large enough to show resilience, with habitats on deeper soil and on north-facing slopes continuing to retain moisture and greener vegetation.
I had a single day to look for butterflies, and found 19 species. Here is a selection of photographs from Ireland’s best region for butterflies.
Brimstone male, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park.Brown Hairstreak male on Hemp Agrimony in the garden at the Burren Perfumery, Fahee North, County Clare.Brown Hairstreak female, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park. Note the autumnal colours in the Bramble leaves.Clouded Yellow helice form, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park. All the Clouded Yellows seen were unsettled and hard to approach.Clouded Yellow male, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park.Common Blue male, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park. None of the females seen during the weekend of 8-9 August had blue uppersides; all were brown, typical colouring in a dry, hot summer.Peacock, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park. Several could be found busy feeding together in flower-rich, sheltered places near dense scrub and woodland.Small Tortoiseshell, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park. The species was numerous in early August; all were feeding, none were involved in mating behaviour, suggesting: 1. Early emergence of overwintering adults (breeding postponed to spring 2027) and 2. Low quality of Stinging Nettle, the breeding plant, might have triggered a reproductive diapause in the population.Small Copper, Clooncoose, was present in low numbers in areas with deeper soils. In warm, moister summers, this butterfly produces a third generation, which happened in September/October 2025. It will be interesting to observe if this occurs in this drier summer.Green-veined White, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park, in a waterless turlough.Grayling, Clooncoose. The Graylings I observed were more faded than they would be in early August in a cooler summer.Wood White female second brood on Common Marjoram, Knockaunroe, Burren National Park. The female has a strongly rounded apex on the forewing.
The other butterflies observed were Large White, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Silver-washed Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.
Carran Turlough, Fahee North, County Clare. Note the dead Hazel leaves near the edge of the turlough.Mullaghmore, Burren National Park. The hues suggest late September rather than early August.
A final point: while in the Burren National Park, a lady I do not know approached me to ask if I had seen any Brown Hairstreaks. A sign, one hopes, of a greater interest in our rarest butterflies
It is 29 July as I write, and the summer is flying sunnily by. Despite the glorious weather, populations reported from across the country are low in most cases. Where high numbers are observed, these are usually of two migrants, the Red Admiral and Painted Lady. In short, hot, sunny weather is great for Ireland’s butterflies, but it’s just one ingredient needed for the meal. More resources are required to provide a happy home for butterflies. One explanation for low numbers is the scarcity of resources needed to grow and sustain populations. Populations reflect the carrying capacity of habitats as well as weather and predator populations. With 90% of EU-protected habitats in unfavourable condition, the reason for low abundance is clear.
Despite the ‘great thinning’ of the fabric of the natural world, our butterflies will still fly in August, despite diminished figures.
Here are the species we can hope and expect to encounter.
Green-veined White is a butterfly we expect to see, but its population has declined by 86% during 2008-2024. This gentle wetland butterfly can reach high numbers in August, and the rainfall in the first half of June will have helped its caterpillars. Look out for the lovely yellow form of the female.The Peacock is another expected butterfly. A nettle breeder, it flies in abundance in flower-rich rides in and near woods, where it overwinters. While its populations fluctuate from year to year, it has remained mainly stable since systematic recording began in 2008. The 10 years between 2015 and 2024 showed a decline in population size of -42%.The male Large White has no forewing spot on its upper sides, but it does have a forewing spot on the underside. Its upper sides are clear white with a forewing tip that is more extensive than in its smaller white relatives. Formerly much disliked for stripping brassicas when more commonly grown, this large, snowy butterfly is in far lower numbers than in the past. The trend during 2008-2024 is -74%.Small White female on a Creeping Thistle flower. This butterfly suffered a 78% decline from 2008-2024. You can expect to see it, but you should expect to see 12, whereas in 2008 you could expect to see one hundred.A beautiful male Brimstone feeding on Common Knapweed. Wills cigarettes featured the Brimstone on its cigarette cards in 1927, rather ironic in the context of the product promoted. The Brimstone vanished from Northern Ireland in the 1980s but has been stable in the rest of the areas it inhabits in Ireland since 2008. The butterfly can be expected in its habitats during August, the peak flight month for the overwintering adult butterfly.The Holly Blue is the greatest fan of our gardens. It loves gardens even more than wild habitats! A sunny, sheltered garden with shrubs is ideal for this gorgeous, lilac marvel. The spring females lay eggs on a range of garden shrubs, including dogwood and firethorn, but its big favourite is Holly. It lays happily on Alder Buckthorn, if you have this much rarer plant. Second-generation Holly Blues lay their eggs on flowering Ivy, so don’t cut it back until late winter. This is a butterfly we expect to see, and happily has not seen an abundance crash.The Common Blue (male pictured) remains widespread in wilder grassland in Ireland, using vetches and clovers as larval foodplants. Black Medic and Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil are commonly used where these grow in suitable conditions. The species flies in at least two generations annually, and responds to summer drought by producing very small individuals in late summer. In some years it flies into early October. This butterfly still belongs to the ‘expected’ category, but a decline of -68% between 2008 and 2024 threatens to relocate it to the ‘hope to see’ category.A lovely male Small Copper butterfly, second generation. This species had fallen by 68% in 2024 compared with the 2008 baseline. Its Irish distribution closely matches the Common Blue, but the Small Copper is naturally less numerous. This lovely butterfly hovers between the ‘expected’ and ‘hoped to see’ brackets.The Brown Hairstreak belongs firmly in the ‘hope-to-see’ basket. It is naturally rare, occurring in just 1.8% of Ireland’s 10km squares (18 out of 1019 10km squares). It depends on uncut Blackthorn, usually in scrub, adjoining unfertilised species-rich grassland in warm places. August is the key month for this autumn-leaf coloured butterfly.Grayling (female), Sheskinmore, County Donegal. Look for this large butterfly on tall dunes and on rocky outcrops, including outcrops in wet bogs. The Grayling’s peak month is August but usually flies from July to early September. It is disappearing from some apparently suitable places and is one of a group of brown butterflies that is declining in distribution and probably in abundance. It is a butterfly one hopes to see when exploring suitable habitat along the east coast, but one expects to see it in the right habitats along the western seaboard.The Wall Brown has declined in abundance and distribution. This once-common species is now rare or absent in most of Ireland. The species is endangered. August is the key month in its flight period.This Silver-washed Fritillary continues to fly in August, and one should expect to encounter it in clearings and rides in semi-natural deciduous and mixed woodland but not in dark plantation forests.The Small Tortoiseshell flies in numbers towards the latter part of August. It can appear anywhere, but it has fallen by -63% between 2008 and 2024.A Painted Lady basking in August 2025. We are having a glorious Painted Lady summer in 2026. It might reach high abundance this August.Painted Lady 29 July 2026 showing the underside.The Red Admiral is our other common migrant, and like the Painted Lady, it is thriving this year. August is a great month to see it.Clouded Yellow, Agios Georgios, Corfu. This beautiful migrant is making its presence felt in the southern coastal counties, and it might appear in numbers further north. Like Painted Lady and Red Admiral, it is having a bumper year.
Part of Butterfly Conservation Ireland’s strategy to save our butterflies is to advocate for the protection of high-nature value land, especially land in public ownership.
The Bog of Allen in North-West Kildare and East Offaly is such an area. The quality of the habitats is clear in spring and summer, when the abundance of invertebrate and bird life cannot fail to impress. The bird life over the winter months is impressive, with Whooper Swans, Golden Plover and Lapwing in good numbers. There are five areas in the region set aside for nature at present, but all are small. One is Butterfly Conservation Ireland’s reserve in Lullybeg. The overall area of the bog is estimated at 5,581 hectares.
A proposal to create Ireland’s largest, tallest wind farm, complete with over 60km of industrial road, would deliver a devastating blow to the region’s nature and nature restoration. This flies in the face of the need to restore habitats in 20% of Ireland’s land (and sea) area by 2030 under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation. We have produced a campaign leaflet to highlight this important issue. We propose that a National Park be established in the region. Ireland has no national park in the midlands and no national park on deep peat.
The leaflet, a collaboration by various conservation organisations, contains advice on what we need you to do.
All Kildare politicians need to understand your feelings on this vital issue for nature.
All of Kildare’s councillors’ contact details are here: https://kildarecoco.ie/YourCouncil/YourElectedCouncil/CouncillorsDetails/
All the Kildare Oireachtas members are here: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/
For the Oireachtas members, enter their name in the Find A Member field.
Kildare’s TDs are: Réada Cronin, Aidan Farrelly, James Lawless, Joe Neville, Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North) and Martin Heydon, Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh, Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Mark Wall (Kildare South).
Offaly’s TDs are: Carol Nolan, John Clendennen and Tony McCormack.
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What do warm nights, a great location, friendly people and the right time of year make? A great moth morning. And what a great cache of moth treasure we accumulated in four Robinson traps in Dara and Maire’s garden in Prosperous, Kildare. The garden holds ponds, mostly native trees, scrub, hedges, grassland with native wildflowers and some well-chosen garden flowers such as Fennel. The garden adjoins bogland and Scots pine woodland with resident Barn Owls.
Sounds perfect? That’s what it is!
The moths clearly find it so, all 100-plus species registered so far. Despite a cooler night than recently (it fell to about 11 degrees), there was much to see. The traps were full, and Philip Strickland’s moth-identification skills proved very useful as some unusual species appeared. Key among these is the Suspected, a species declared extinct by the state in the 2016 Macro-moth Red List. The moth is thriving in this lovely area, if the dozen or so in the various traps offer evidence. Since 2010, there have been records for just 11 10km squares, 1% of Ireland’s 10km squares.
Other local species found were Bordered Sallow, Scarce Silver Y and Barred Rivulet. We found Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, relatively well distributed in the east, but very scarce west of a line from Sligo Town to Wexford Town.
Bordered Sallow. This is quite a scarce species, with a recorded presence in just 45 10km squares since 2010.Northern/Oak Eggar. Males are day-flying.Scarce Silver Y, a bog moth. Its caterpillar feeds on Heather and Bilberry. It also flies in daylight.Agapeta zoegana Sulphur Knapweed moth, Prosperous.Grass Emerald, Prosperous. Gorse and Broom are the larval foodplants.Herald, Prosperous. This moth is mainly single-brooded. It overwinters in the adult state, often in attics, and sometimes in large numbers.Suspected, declared extinct by the state in 2016, is thriving in its scrub habitat in North Kildare. Several were trapped on 18 July.Barred Rivulet, Prosperous. Kildare. The seeds of Red Bartsia nourish its larvae.Ear Moth, Prosperous, County Kildare. There are four ear moths in Ireland, Ear Moth, Crinan Ear, Large Ear and Saltern Ear, so Ear Moth aggregate is the term used in the absence of definitive identification data.Poplar Hawkmoth, Prosperous, County Kildare. The moth was quite abundant, with one trap holding ten individuals.Iron Prominent, Prosperous, County Kildare. This is well distributed in Ireland.
There is one disturbing note. We again failed to find the Garden Tiger moth, recently common. Has it disappeared from Kildare? If so, it must be lost from many areas. It breeds on common plants, such as Common Nettle, Broad-leaved Dock, Common Dandelion agg. and many other plants. We are not diagnosing a foodplant shortage for its disappearance, but perhaps the quality of the plants and the nature of the adjoining vegetation have altered. The disappearance of a large, colourful, much-loved species is a great concern, especially as it was common until about 2015.
Our post-trap conversations are typically eclectic, warm and humorous, and this was no exception. Thanks to Philip Strickland for organising the event, Dara and Maire for hosting us, and everyone who attended.
We are having a bizarre year for weather, and this erratic weather might become embedded, becoming the climate. We had extraordinary rainfall in January, February and March, and record heat in May, with the record for that month broken twice by more than 2 °C. The highest air temperature ever recorded in Ireland in May was 30.6 °C on 26 May, at Shannon Airport. A heat wave was also recorded in June, when maximum temperatures again exceeded 30 °C. Regarding winter rainfall, Dublin Airport’s February rainfall was 255% above the long-term average and the highest since rainfall records began 84 years ago. February and March temperatures were above average, but January was both wetter and colder than usual.
This meteorological background raises questions about how butterflies respond. Extreme heat in summer is beneficial for the adult and pupal stages and extreme precipitation has been found to damage the pupae (especially) and larvae of single-brooded butterflies (most Irish butterflies (21 out of 35) are single-brooded, i.e., they produce one generation each year).
The single-brooded butterflies are especially sensitive to extremes of heat and cold; the adult is sensitive to extreme cold in summer and extreme heat in winter, while the overwintering stage of single-brooded butterflies is sensitive to extreme heat in winter. It must be noted that single-brooded butterflies overwinter in all four life stages. (The overwintering stage depends on the species, but the larval stage is the most common overwintering stage.) In addition, extreme precipitation during the pupal stage drives negative population change in a number of single-brooded butterflies.
In Ireland, the Small Heath is a single-brooded butterfly.
What about our multi-brooded species?
Extreme heat during overwintering and extreme precipitation during first- and second-generation adult life stages are the most frequently occurring extreme variables causing population declines in multivoltine species (67%, 58% and 50% of all multivoltine species affected, respectively). As in single-brooded species, adult and overwintering life stages have opposite population responses to temperature extremes. Extreme heat during the adult life stage (outside winter) is associated with positive population change in 42% of species.
A Small Tortoiseshell laying eggs on the underside of Common Nettle, County Meath.
Drought plays a much more important role in multi-brooded species than in single-brooded species. Drought negatively affects 50% of species during their second larval life stage, but has a positive impact on 25% of species during their first ovum life stage.
The study, carried out in the UK, found that multi-brooded butterflies are more sensitive to extreme climate events than single-brooded species, with all life stages, ovum, larvae, pupae, adult and overwintering represented in the nine most important variables in the combined model.
Extreme precipitation during the overwintering stage does not significantly negatively impact multi-brooded species or single-brooded species. This is very good news, because last winter was extremely wet and not extremely warm.
The Ringlet is vulnerable to drought and loves warm, humid grasslands.
A striking feature of this summer’s butterfly story is the Ringlet population, which, where I look, is the largest I have seen for about 10 years. It had declined in my area of County Meath, with low numbers in what appear to be excellent habitats. Last year, I counted a mere 17 Ringlets on my South Meath transect. On June 25th, I counted 22 Ringlets there during a single visit. It is proving abundant in NE and NW Kildare. The Meadow Brown, another single-brooded butterfly, is numerous too. Orange-tip, a spring flyer now finished its flight period, was numerous this spring. Weather/climate is not the only influence on populations, but it is a key framework for species presence and population size.
Despite their sombre appearance, our Ringlet and Meadow Brown populations must not be overlooked, and counting them provides data on how our grasslands are performing and how weather and climate influence the habitats and populations.
This Silver-washed Fritillary was photographed in Corfu on 7th June. When will we see our first Silver-washed Fritillary?
We can also look forward to seeing our largest and most glamorous species in July. The first Silver-washed Fritillary of 2026 is due any day, and the first Dark Green Fritillary reported to our recording scheme this year appeared in Portrane, Dublin, on the 25th of June. We await our first Brimstone and Peacock, but the first brood of Commas has already made their appearance; these have so far been the golden form, which breeds immediately after emergence. Later in July, some dark-form Comma butterflies will appear. This form delays breeding until next spring.
Small Tortoisehell.
The Small Tortoiseshell’s first brood is now flying. These are the children of those who passed the winter as adults and bred in spring. The new generation is behaving like the golden Comma, and is mating and laying eggs. These will produce a second generation that appears in August and September. However, a few Small Tortoiseshells will not breed and will enter an overwintering state, with dark form Commas. This flexibility allows Irish Commas and Small Tortoiseshells to capitalise on good conditions in warm, sunny summers with good rainfall while setting aside some individuals to delay breeding to safeguard against the onset of unsuitable conditions later in summer.
This is the direct-breeding summer form of the Comma. It is notably paler than the darker overwintering form that delays breeding.The dark form of the Comma. This is the overwintering form.
The highly unpredictable weather in Ireland can drive people to distraction. Last winter was dreadful for one’s mood, with miserably wet, dark weather for several weeks. However, our butterflies survived, and some are doing quite well this summer. Their colour gives us something to look forward to and enjoy, while their current abundance highlights their resilience in the face of meteorological adversity. There’s some comfort in that for us!
But we must be on our guard. Extreme heat during winter is bad news for butterflies. Our climate is predicted to have hotter summers, which is good for butterflies, but warmer winters, which are detrimental. Will the benefits of warmer summers be outweighed by the negative winter effects?
Keep counting our butterflies…
Key Reference
McDermott Long, O. 2017, An investigation into the vulnerability of UK butterflies to extreme climatic events associated with increasing climate change, University of East Anglia.
The recent hot, sunny weather makes everything outside look brighter. Winged insects can move with ease, finding it easier to feed, seek mates, lay eggs or move through the landscape. In Britain, and presumably in Ireland, extreme heat is associated with better outcomes for most butterfly species.
In this post, we look at some native wildflowers that bloom in June.
Bloody Crane’s-bill.
The Bloody Crane’s-bill flowers from May and throughout June, with repeat flowering into the rest of the summer and early autumn. It is used by hoverflies, bees and butterflies, and is easy to grow, though it favours lime-rich, free-draining soils.
Smooth Hawk’s-beard Crepis capillaris is a native plant.
The Smooth Hawk’s-beard is common and often abundant on dry grasslands. It reaches up to 1m and has hairless stems and glossy, pinnate leaves. It is among the top 20 flowers in Ireland for supporting high pollinator diversity (see (e) below). It also ranks highly for (a), average abundance of visitors, (b), average species richness of visitors, (c), betweenness centrality (how connected it is in the plant-pollinator network) (d), duration of bloom, (e) and functional complementarity (supporting different insects).
Upright Hedge Parsley Torillis japonica
Upright Hedge Parsley looks a little like Cow Parsley but comes into flower later and is a more delicate flower, and often has a pinkish tinge. It occurs beside hedges, often in dry places. It does not appear to be the foodplant for any of our butterflies or macro-moths, but it is a nectar source and is rather elegant. It has been recorded as a larval foodplant for the Southern Swallowtail butterfly, a southern European species.
Lady’s Bedstraw Galium verum.
This fragrant flower is used as a larval foodplant by some beautiful moths, such as Small Elephant Hawkmoth and Hummingbird Hawkmoth and several carpet moths. It likes dry grassland and has a beautifully evocative honey scent. The plant has several medicinal uses and was even used as an alternative to renin to coagulate milk in cheese production. It deserves a place in any wilding project, for its colour, fragrance and overall value for the grassland ecosystem.
Field Scabious Knautia arvensis.
This tall, multiflowering biennial or perennial flower is a considerable draw for nectar-feeding invertebrates. Painted Lady butterflies are especially keen on its flowers. This also needs dry situations and can grow in very shallow soil. In warmer countries, it seems to attract much more attention from butterflies than it does in Ireland, with Six-spot Burnet moths drawn to it, sometimes in their hundreds!
Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii.
This common flower can be white, pink, purplish, and it varies in height too. It is used for nectar by some butterflies, including the Silver-washed Fritillary and Marsh Fritillary. It occurs in dry grassland and will hybridise with Heath Spotted Orchid. It will appear in gardens that are not treated with fertilisers, and is a sign of undamaged soils. It is used as a foodplant by the Buff Ermine moth.
Wild Valerian Valeriana officinalis.
This tall plant is usually found in wet places, such as wet grassland, fens and river and canal banks. It is a rich source of nectar for many insects.
Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria.
This fragrant wetland plant with its fragrant, frothy, creamy blooms epitomises summer. The flowers seem more important to bees, but butterflies will use them too. The leaves are eaten by Emperor Moth caterpillars, and by caterpillars of other macro-moths, such as Sweet Gale, Powdered Quaker and Hebrew Character.
Many plants that have finished flowering for the year are very important for pollinators, especially for their immature stages. The flowers of Blackthorn are eagerly used by spring flying moths and butterflies, but their leaves are food for larvae, notably by the Brown Hairstreak butterfly. About 54 macro moths feed on the plant, including the Brindled Beauty.
Brindled Beauty on Blackthorn, Kiltacky, County Clare.
The overall message is, go native! These are the plants that feed most of our insects. Many non-natives are poor for pollinators, and some are invasive and damage our environment. Go native!
Key Reference
Russo, L., Fitzpatrick, Ú., Larkin, M., Mullen, S., Power, E., Stanley, D., White, C., O’Rourke, A., &Stout, J. C. (2022). Conserving diversity in Irish plant–pollinator networks. Ecology and Evolution, 12, e9347. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9347
Corfu is reputed to hold high biodiversity, including butterfly populations. Armed with advice from Ionian Butterfly Conservation and the Field Guide Corfu produced by the European Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, we decided to see this for ourselves. We were not disappointed.
Corfu sits in the Ionian Sea, just 2km from Albania and about 10km from the Greek mainland. It is about 593 square km in area, c.57km in length, and about 28km in width at its widest point. The north is especially well wooded, with about 36% of the island under tree cover, although much of it consists of Olive plantations, mostly hundreds of years old. The economy is mainly reliant on tourism, but olive oil production is also important. Central and southern Corfu are the main agricultural areas. The island has about 101,000 residents, most of whom speak English. Corfu town holds about 40% of the population. Corfu has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild winters when most rainfall occurs. The island is remarkably green, a feature striking for those familiar with the Mediterranean region in summer.
View from Paleokastritsa, Corfu.
We visited from June 2 to June 13, and daytime maximum temperatures were typically 25-27 Celsius, with night temperatures about four Celsius lower. We focused mostly on the northern areas, which we heard were rich in butterfly populations. We were not disappointed!
Agios Georgios, Corfu.
The best areas for butterflies were the open flower-rich edges and clearings in scrub, woodland, and olive groves, and along the tracks through these wooded areas. The soils are calcareous, and the clay soils, especially notable along the coast at Agios Georgios Pagon in NW Corfu, appear to retain moisture. In NE Corfu, near and around Mount Pantokrator, the terrain is rocky. It contains a mixture of bare and sparsely vegetated ground, native woodland, grassland and scrub known as Maquis, the term used to describe evergreen scrub in the Mediterranean basin. Common scrub species include Strawberry tree Arbutus unedo, Lentisk Pistacia lentiscus, Myrtle Myrtus communis, Holly Oak Quercus coccifera and buckthorns such as Mediterranean Buckthorn Rhamnus alaternus and Jerusalem Thorn/Christ’s Thorn Paliurus spina-christi.
Rhamnus alaternus, near Makrades, Corfu.Track through an olive grove showing maquis habitat on the right.
Grassy areas along roadsides were also rich in butterflies. In some areas, the populations were so large that people gazed at the spectacle. This included areas in coastal villages, where Cleopatra butterflies mixed with Large and Small Whites, Painted Ladies and Southern White Admirals to feed on garden flowers, especially the non-native reddish-purple climbing plant Bougainvillaea.
Donkey path near Makrades, Corfu.A scene in Makrades village, Corfu.
The various trails through the landscape, especially the donkey trails, were very rich in butterflies. We walked part of the donkey path from Makrades village toward the coast. Limestone cliffs edge part of this walk, with interesting flora in the narrow strip between the cliff and path, excellent for butterflies. We found the umbelliferous plant Scaligeria napiformis, a foodplant for the extremely range-limited rare butterfly used as the symbol for Butterfly Conservation Corfu, the Southern Swallowtail Papilio alexanor, the only European butterfly that roosts with wings fully extended.
Southern Swallowtail larva on Scaligeria napiformis, Makrades.
We found the caterpillars, black, white and orange, busy chewing on the seeds of the foodplant. When disturbed, it raises a fleshy, yellow organ from the first segment behind the head, producing a fluid that stinks of rotten pineapple. Presumably, this deters birds. Later in our stay, I found the caterpillars on Giant Fennel Ferula communis at sea level near the coast near Ipsos/Ypsos, NE Corfu. In Europe, it occurs only in small areas of SE France, NW Italy, W Croatia, parts of Greece, usually in mountains, Albania and the Republic of Macedonia, and its occurrence within these areas is local and sporadic.
Common Swallowtail, Agios Georgios, Corfu. This male is basking.
Corfu has four papilionid (swallowtails, festoons and apollos) butterflies, three swallowtails and the Eastern Festoon. The swallowtails present are Common Swallowtail Papilio machaon, Southern Swallowtail Papilio alexanor and Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclidespodalirius. In Greek mythology, Machaon and Podalirius were sons of Asclepius, while Alexanor was a son of Machaon. Given their legendary roles as Greek deities, these butterflies should occur in Greece. All are stunning, floating in warm breezes with insolent ease. They are swift in flight, often fluttering teasingly close only to vanish when the fancy takes them. All these large, showy butterflies usually feed by fluttering over their flowers, standing on them on tiptoes, their heft too great for most flowers to support them.
Scarce Swallowtail, Corfu.
We caught glimpses of the Scarce and Common Swallowtails, but neither was numerous during our visit. Neither needs habitats of special character and can turn up anywhere, from exposed hill-tops to cosy gardens. The only chance of getting that good photograph is to find one early in the day, when they perch in warm, sunny places to heat their flight muscles for the day’s activities.
Brimstone male, Old Perithia, Corfu.Cleopatra on the donkey path, near Makrades.
We found several species we have in Ireland, with the Brimstone (uncommon, but likely we were early in the flight period), Clouded Yellow, Wood White, Large and Small White (abundant, widespread), Small Copper (low numbers), Common Blue (abundant), Holly Blue (widespread but not numerous), Red Admiral (occasional), Painted Lady (widespread, numerous), Silver-washed Fritillary (widespread but not numerous), Speckled Wood (widespread but not numerous), Wall and Meadow Brown (widespread and abundant), Small Heath (in low numbers on short grassland), and Small Skipper (widespread but not numerous). The others we share with Corfu that we didn’t see, such as Comma and Peacock, might have been in the immature (non-adult) stage.
Small Copper, Agios Georgios, Corfu. Note the dark colour in the male forewing. Individuals in Ireland and Britain have much brighter uppersides.
Overall, Corfu has 76 butterfly species; we saw 38, possibly 40 (Long-tailed Blue and Green-veined White might have been seen). We missed the spring flying species (April appears to be the key month).
Southern White Admiral male, Ypsos.
It was wonderful to see ‘new’ species, like the Southern White Admiral, a graceful flyer that occurs in areas with trees, shrubs and hedges, including gardens. Males are notably smaller and patrol their habitats using regular flight paths and perch points. The smart deep black and starched white uppersides contrast with equally smart brick-red and white underwings. The most exciting finds were three grayling species, Delattin’s Grayling, which looks very like our Grayling, Great Banded Grayling and Eastern Rock Grayling, the latter two large and dramatic in flight, and equally happy in hot, dry woodland with clearings and open scrub and even hot, rocky places with low, scattered scrub.
Delattin’s Grayling, Old Perithia, Corfu.Eastern Rock Grayling, Old Perithia, Corfu.Great Banded Grayling.
The stunning Cleopatra butterfly/Mediterranean Brimstone was seen everywhere, from beaches to gardens, roadsides and rocky mountain slopes. Males are straightforward to identify; they have sulphur uppersides sporting a deep orange forewing flush. Females are much trickier. I saw many large females with whitish-yellowish uppersides (normal form), very similar to the female Brimstone with which it is easily confused. However, some females, especially in SE Europe, including Corfu, have pale yellow uppersides and even the deeper sulphur uppersides, like the male Brimstone. We saw all three colour forms, and it took me a couple of days to be sure about what I was looking at. The Cleopatras were absorbed in feeding up for ‘winter’. It hibernates from the end of August, reappearing in February, although it probably breaks hibernation to feed after August. It was obvious that the heat in more exposed areas, even during late morning, was quite extreme, as individual Cleopatras and Brimstones frequently entered bushes to seek the coolness of shade.
Cleopatra, female, normal (white) form, Agios Georgios, Corfu.Cleopatra female sulphur yellow form, Old Perithia, Corfu.Cleopatra pale yellow form, Old Perithia. The Cleopatra rests with closed wings. The uppersides of this female are pale yellow.
The butterfly that shocks the spirit is the Two-tailed Pasha. Large, showy and fearless, it is impossible to be unimpressed by this powerhouse. My first glimpse of the butterfly was obtained while driving to Agios Georgios in NW Corfu on our first morning, when a hot pursuit over the road was sighted. A head-turner, this swift butterfly would be impossible to approach if it so chose, but it is so fearless that it allows you to eyeball it. It looks weirdly shark-like in outline, and its dark eyes have an opaqueness that allows no insight. It returns human gaze with dark, unreflecting eyes, suddenly surging into the skies to attack an intruding male. Step away from his launch site, and this Exocet invariably returns to its post, bristling with aggression.
It breeds on the Strawberry Tree in open areas, and it likes maquis habitat on hillsides. Double-brooded, it is a tropical species restricted to the southern edges of Europe, usually near the sea. Seeing this species fulfilled the dream of a lifetime.
Strawberry Tree.Strawberry Tree, near donkey path, Paleokastritsa, Corfu.
Another lovely butterfly we saw, and in great numbers, is the Balkan Marbled White (BMW). Despite being numerous (we saw around 200 in and near Old Perithia), it is geographically restricted, found only in SE Europe (also in Turkey, Transcaucasia and N Iran). The lovely black and off-white marbling patterning is classy and striking in an understated way. Like many butterflies, it was strongly attracted to scabious flowers, especially Sweet Scabious Scabiosa atropurpurea. Newly hatched BMWs are easy to observe and photograph. After a few hours, males become active, feeding and mate-seeking during sunshine, settling quickly in overcast weather. This response to cloudiness was noted in all the butterflies we observed.
Balkan Marbled White male, Agios Georgios, Corfu,Balkan Marbled White female, Old Perithia, Corfu.Balkan Marbled White, male upperside, Agios Georgios, Corfu.
Another interesting butterfly is the Lattice Brown. It is large, about the size of the Red Admiral, and quite skulking. It rarely appears in the open, fluttering in shady scrub, Bracken and trees, where males scour the branches, doing circuits of the tree limbs, presumably looking for love while females prospect for egg-sites (it lays on trees). It is extremely hard to approach, and the dull light of the woodland does nothing to conceal the human approach. This orange and brown phantom of the forest is agile and ghostly, a spirit that melts into the earthy tones of hot shade. It is confined, in Europe, to the SE.
Lattice Brown, Old Perithia, Corfu.
Large, Small, Mallow and Lulworth Skippers were widespread, with the Lulworth Skipper particularly abundant. Another eye-catching butterfly is the Spotted Fritillary, especially the orange-red males. This is probably the commonest fritillary in Europe. We also spotted the Southern Comma; brighter and paler than the Comma, it likes basking on rock and breeds on Pellitory-of-the-wall.
Southern Comma underside, Old Perithia.
Butterflies were found elsewhere, but special hotspots are Old Perithia, a beautiful 14th-century village in a breathtaking setting, the areas immediately inland of Agios Georgios, accessed by tracks through olive groves and the donkey path from Makrades. I am tempted to visit in April for the spring butterflies!
View of Old Perithia, Corfu.Old Perithia: the building beyond the arch is the ruined school.After the hot work of butterflying, a visit to one of Old Perithia’s tavernas is a must.Restoration in Old Perithia. The village was mostly abandoned in the 1960s but is being reoccupied.
Looking at the abundance and at how widespread the Corfiot butterflies are, one worries more about the state of Ireland’s species. However, there are some concerns. Some olive growers use herbicides under the trees, eliminating important grasses and flowers for nature. This was unsightly and destructive, and no butterflies were observed in poisoned areas. Many olive groves were not poisoned, and these are great for insects. Like many residential areas in the Mediterranean region, garden flowers are grown instead of natives, but gardens are not extensive enough for this to be a major problem.
Ilex Hairstreak on donkey path, Paleokastritsa.
The scenery throughout the northern half of the island is simply spectacular. This might be true of the South, too. People are helpful and friendly, and the food is excellent with options everywhere in towns, villages and on seafronts. The roads are often narrow, and upland roads contain many sharp bends, so slow, cautious driving is essential. The island is green, despite the Mediterranean heat and dryness, quite different to nearby mainland Greece and Albania. No wonder Gerald Durrell called it ‘The garden of the gods.’
A special thanks to Chris from Ionian Butterfly Conservation for his help in identifying a couple of difficult species. Ionian Butterfly Conservation runs a recording scheme and would love to receive your records. You can learn more at https://ionianbutterflyconservation.org/index.php
