The Burren, a unique karst landscape situated in north County Clare and southwest Galway, boasts a fascinating, rich, and abundant biodiversity within visually stunning landscapes. The following images aim to provide a taste of this beauty and inspire a love for and a desire to conserve this most special place.
Limestone pavement, dry calcareous grassland and scrub are all protected features within the Burren.Brown Hairstreak ova are plentiful in parts of the Burren in 2025, indicating the butterfly had a good year. The Brown Hairstreak is one of Ireland’s rarest butterflies, recorded in just 1.8% of Ireland’s 10km squares.Grass-of-Parnassus Parnassia palustris is an elegant wildflower, favouring wet, lime-rich grassland and fens.The Goat Willow Salix caprea, likes lime-rich soils, especially moist areas. It is a very important larval foodplant for many moths and other species.The Grayling found in the Burren is paler than the Grayling found elsewhere in Ireland, blending with the pale limestone on which it usually settles. The stone provides warmth to heat its body and places to conceal itself and breeding sites: it typically lays its eggs on grass adjoining or among limestone pavement.Rusty-back is a common inhabitant of limestone pavement in the Burren.Fragrant Orchid, Fahee North, County Clare. This sweet-smelling flower often occurs near roads, in shorter vegetation.Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina, Burren, County Clare. This will overwinter and breed next year.Oak Eggar moth larva on Blue Moor-grass, County Clare. This moth is abundant in the region, and males are commonly observed in July; its swift, erratic and occasionally dramatic flight is especially eye-catching.Blue Moor-grass Sesleria caeulea, Burren. This is the foodplant of the rare Burren Green Moth and it feeds other species, like Oak Eggar and Grayling (when its caterpillar is larger, in spring).The Meadow Brown flies quite late in the Burren, and remains abundant in September, especially along the coast.The Ruddy Darter is abundant around the Burren’s lakes.The Harebell Campanula rotundifolia is a delicate beauty, common throughout the region during August.Common butterflies, like this Red Admiral, thrive in the Burren, alongside rarities. The Red Admiral is abundant in the Burren and throughout most of Ireland in August 2025.Goldenrod Solidago virgaurea is a glorious plant, a common sight in the Burren in July and August. It likes rocky, well-drained areas. It is the foodplant of the lovely micro-moth, White-spotted Sable Anania funebris.Views over the Burren in August still glow with colour. This limestone grassland is dominated by Devil’s-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis (blue flower).
