There is little point in claiming dull, overcast weather is better for butterfly walks. However, muted brightness often reveals sights that bright light obscures, reminiscent of a line in a hymn: ‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.’ (Smith, 1867).

Perhaps a calmer mindset prevails in the naturalist, engendering closer scrutiny, a slow time when one pauses, searches, and seeks clues to whereabouts. A nibbled leaf, an irregular shape, a pair of antennae, or a rustle hyper-focuses the senses.

Insects one cannot get close to in hot weather are suddenly approachable. How else would one get a close view of this female Emperor? Usually soaring imperiously above one’s head, then darting dramatically in an unexpected direction, there is no chance of obtaining a photograph.

We enjoyed photographing the empress before she managed to warm her flight muscles and escape our cameras. A search of the two buckthorn species revealed Brimstone caterpillars. Look at the following photos.

These caterpillars were found in adjoining bushes. The size difference points to the timing of egg-laying, indicating the eggs being laid over weeks by the same generation of females, and possibly, but improbably, by the same female. The adult butterfly will fly over several weeks in the summer, typically starting in mid-July (occasionally early in July in a warm year like this) and ending in early or mid-September. Occasionally adults are seen late in September or early October.  In most years, mid-July to early September is the time to watch the adults. The adults you see in mid-July are the first to hatch from their pupae, represented by the largest caterpillar above. The adults you encounter later in mid-August are likely the result of the later laid eggs, represented by the first instar caterpillar.  The adults that emerged in July will probably be hibernating by mid-August; no butterfly that must survive several months of cool weather can expose itself for several weeks.

When warmer weather arrives in spring, the first Brimstones to wake are the males. Females begin to appear about a week later and mating quickly follows. Long-lived females will lay their eggs over several weeks, usually from April.

Spring butterflies ‘know’ that spring weather can be erratic. Conditions like those this spring, with most days of unbroken sunshine, are rare. Spring flyers can take advantage of brief good weather and even today we saw Marsh Fritillaries on the wing and found a number on grassland ready to act if the temperature allowed.

Other creatures drew our attention too. Marbled White-spot and plume moths caught eyes usually attuned to seeking larger, more colourful fare. The lovely flora of the area was also enjoyed, and our two-hour ramble sent us home happy.

 

 

 

The magic ingredient for a butterfly event outdoors is warmth and sunshine and the weekend of the 17th and 18th of May provided this magic. Bright, unbroken sunshine and the temperature peaking at 24 and 25 Celsius allowed butterflies and day-flying moths to fly at any time during the day. Butterflies do not usually fly throughout the day.  They feed, rest, shelter, bask, mate and lay eggs as well as flying.

I was a little fearful that the prolonged fine weather might have brought an early closure to the flight period of the Pearl-bordered Fritillary but happily, this butterfly put in a great display, glowing deep orange in crystal Burren sunshine.

What is also key to the success of any outing is the people taking part.  The enthusiastic group on both days sparked the atmosphere nicely, adding to the excitement of being in beautiful habitats in sublime weather. At Fahee North we sampled the butterflies in a site containing calcareous grassland, limestone heath, exposed limestone pavement, humid/wet grassland/marsh and scrub. The adjoining site holds open scrub on limestone pavement with dry calcareous grassland. This site, which holds a holy well, has long been notable for its Pearl-bordered Fritillary population. It must be emphasised that the habitats are protected by Burrenbeo Trust volunteers controlling, but not eliminating scrub. 

Scrub is a vital part of the habitats and must be retained. The image below shows a larval nest of Small Eggar caterpillars on Blackthorn that is part of a patch of roadside scrub. This moth has been recorded in just 34 10 km squares since 2000, 15 of these are in or near the Burren.  We enjoyed observing the to-ing and fro-ing of the heat-excited caterpillars. In the hottest part of the day, most had retreated to the interior of their web.

We were delighted to see so many Marsh Fritillaries on the grassland and heath. This is the earliest I have seen them in the Burren. We have males skirmishing, briefly and the more sedate females keeping a discreet difference. These had mated already so the males were of no interest to the females who were preparing to lay their first and largest egg load or were flying with the freedom that comes with significant weight loss, feeding and maturing a second egg batch. Common Blues were lesser in number but showy, bringing their sky-blue shimmer to the scene. Small Heath bobbed about the fescue tussocks, flashing their bright orange uppersides at us.

We moved onto the limestone pavement and soon Pearl-bordered Fritillaries appeared. Some were caught and placed in jars to be admired and released. Several moths were netted. I saw my first-ever Burren Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet along with Six-spot and Transparent Burnets (known from just four counties, mainly in Clare), all symbols of pristine, undamaged habitats. A spectacular day-flier, the Wood Tiger, was also netted and displayed, to the delight of all. It is a beautiful species and is probably uncommon everywhere it still occurs. It is listed as Near Threatened and has not been recorded in 17 counties in the Republic of Ireland since 2000. Speckled Yellow, which looks like a butterfly was also sighted. It rarely poses for photographs, alas! It has not been reported from 20 counties on the island of Ireland. When you see it in abundance in the Burren, don’t take this for granted. The Dew moth was also a welcome sight. This gem has been returned from just three counties: Clare, Galway and Mayo. It is in good hands in the Burren, as long as its habitat is not molested.

Sunday meant a later start but we made the most of the additional time with some exploring the nearby Cahercommaun ring fort. The surrounding calcareous grassland and Hazel scrub are rich in butterflies. The easy exploration allowed by the Clooncoose Valley Green Road is one benefit. This is surely Ireland’s Butterfly Road. The traffic can be congested and casualties occur with the area’s predators knowing that rich pickings are available. We watched a Hairy Dragonfly pounce on a male Marsh Fritillary, carrying the hapless victim in its vice-grip jaws. A collective dismay engulfed the group. The road teemed with dragonflies, mostly Black-tailed Skimmer, Hairy Dragonfly and Four-spotted Chaser. 

One area adjoining the road, a clearing in the scrub, was being used as a lek site by Small Heath butterflies. Watching the males display to catch a lady’s eye was intriguing. This is the first time I have seen this behaviour in this pretty little butterfly. I netted both, showed one to the group and when released he returned to his lekking site to continue with his competitive display.

The road offers a route through a large area, from near the Gort road to Cahercommaun and some butterflies using this infrastructure do not breed along the route; Marsh Fritillary and Pearl-bordered Fritillary seem to use it to move through the area and seek mates.

The Pearl-bordered Fritillary occurs only in the Burren, occupying just ten 10 km squares, mainly in the east Burren, in open scrub on limestone. It was only discovered in 1922, in Clooncoose. It remains in place hopefully never to be removed.

Thanks to everyone who helped, including those who spotted and netted butterflies, moths and dragonflies and especially to the lady who baked me a cake, another magic ingredient!

The long days of bright sunshine during March and April accelerated the development of the Marsh Fritillary caterpillars. This warmth continues into May as I write (13 May) stimulating the early emergence of the adult Marsh Fritillary butterfly.

Our management work at Lullybeg Reserve during the winter has helped shorten development times by expanding areas receiving direct sunlight and making more food and habitat available to the caterpillars and the adults.  The pattern of bright sunny days and cool, even cold nights might have helped in another way.

The Marsh Fritillary caterpillar is infected by two wasps, Cotesia bignelli and Cotesia melitaearum. The latter species produces three generations, predating a single generation of caterpillars. The first generation attacks the first instar larvae in July and August, killing a percentage of these before pupating, emerging and attacking third or fourth instar caterpillars, spending winter within fourth instar larvae. These infected larvae are killed in spring and the adult wasps infect the final growth stages of the caterpillars. Losses can be so large that a population is wiped out. This removes both the butterfly and wasp from the breeding habitat.

However, in cool, sunny springs, the emergence of adult wasps from their pupae is delayed. The developing wasps cannot heat themselves within their pupae and may remain longer than usual in this state. Meanwhile, the spring larvae develop faster in cool, sunny weather and will pupate before many of the wasps have hatched. In this way, more Marsh Fritillaries survive to take flight. The wasp cannot infect eggs, pupae or adults, and they emerge out of synchronicity with their prey. This might have occurred this year.

However, some final-stage larvae were infected; this year I have observed several larvae feeding intermittently, without enthusiasm. These will not pupate. Their lives are being prolonged by their internal parasitoids which, if they pupated now, would emerge without any available larvae to attack. 

Their tactic therefore is to bite their way out of the caterpillar, usually at the end of May and spin dense white silk over their pupae to deliberately prolong their pupal phase until the next generation of Marsh Fritillary caterpillars are available for them to attack in mid to late July. The cycle then begins again.

Maintaining a large area of habitat makes extinction at the site level less likely.  Maintaining connections with nearby populations means re-population can occur if a site loses its population due to conditions that favour the wasp. 

These objectives are being achieved in the Lullymore and Lullybeg areas. The recording of fifty Marsh Fritillaries in Lullybeg on Monday 12 May is a fitting reward for the hard work controlling scrub and disturbing selected areas of the sward containing the foodplant to avoid Moor-grass overdominating.

The butterflies seen on 12 May, all males, were patrolling low over the area, seeking newly hatched females in need of a mate. They were occasionally inspected by Dingy Skippers, also enjoying an early, populous spring. Happy times!

Photos copyright J. Harding

An Atlas of Butterflies in Ireland 2010-2021 and the Handbook for the Irish Vegetation Classification was launched today at the Royal Irish Academy by the minister responsible for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, who described his ministerial brief as his ‘dream job.’ What follows is the speech made by Jesmond Harding on behalf of Butterfly Conservation Ireland.

Hello Everyone.

An Atlas of Butterflies in Ireland 2010-2021 maps the distribution of all thirty-five butterflies that occur in Ireland, comparing the pre-2010 distribution to the 2010-2021 period. It maps the distribution of each species at the 10km level and additional maps plot the distribution of three rare species at a finer resolution. The two identical-looking wood white butterflies are individually mapped, applying the results of laboratory analysis to confirm species identity.

The Atlas combines data from seven separate datasets applying different recoding methodologies that contributed 408,812 records. Accounts for our thirty-five species from 28 authors describe the appearance, habitat, ecology, distribution map and population status of each butterfly. Abundance trends are provided for the 15 commonest butterflies. Summary accounts and maps are presented for five vagrant species. The species accounts are supported by chapters on “History of Butterfly Recording in Ireland”, “Breeding Habitats for Ireland’s Butterflies”, “Background and Data Sources”, “The Changing Fortunes of Ireland’s Butterflies” and “Why are Some of Ireland’s Butterflies Declining?”.

On behalf of the three bodies that produced this Atlas, the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Butterfly Conservation Northern Ireland and Butterfly Conservation Ireland I want to express our thanks to all the butterfly recorders who have contributed butterfly records since 1900. The Atlas Steering Committee comprising Frank Smyth, Bob Aldwell, John O’Boyle, Mary Foley, Liam Lysaght and I provided key advice and guidance to develop the Atlas content and performed record verification. Tomás Murray, then Senior Ecology at the National Biodiversity Data Centre worked to recruit and train volunteers and on Atlas design. Enormous credit is due to our 28 Atlas authors and the species accounts editing team Pat Bell, Richella Duggan, Jim Fitzharris, Liam Lysaght, and I. Brian Nelson provided important advice that added significantly to text clarity and accuracy. Dave Manser of Vitamin did an excellent job designing the publication. Having been involved in the Atlas from the outset, I can confidently say that nothing Liam or I asked contributors to do was too much. A heartfelt thanks is due for everyone’s generosity.

This Atlas provides a baseline for future recording, but comparing the 2010-2021 period with the 1900-2009 period also offers a glimpse into the status of our populations in the past. In 1995 Daniel Pauly, a fisheries expert coined the term ‘shifting baseline syndrome’ to describe the acceptance of degraded natural ecosystems. Pauly knew that fisheries experts evaluated depleted fish stocks by taking as their baseline the state of fisheries at the start of their careers rather than fish populations in their natural state. In this way, each new generation redefines what is ‘natural’. What we see now or in the recent past is interpreted as the natural state of populations, prompting pre-baseline amnesia. Future generations of butterfly recorders in Ireland taking the 2010-2021 period as their baseline comparator should be less prone to pre-baseline amnesia.

However, given the limited recording carried out, especially before the mid-1990s, contemporary recorders recruited during the Atlas period might take what they see as natural. It is not. Even our commonest butterflies are suffering the assault of modernity. The figures are chilling. The Orange-tip, our loveliest spring butterfly, has declined by -68% during 2008-2021 and lost more than 10% of its distribution since the 1995-2009 period. The other common whites are showing benumbing losses: Large White – 76%, Small White – 77% and Green-veined White -87.2%. The Atlas tells us that only one species, the Holly Blue, has shown an increase in population size during 2010-2021. For the 15 commonest species, the average decline during 2010-2021 is -55.35%. The highest decline, -88% afflicts the Ringlet, a quiet inhabitant of tall, humid grassland. More alarmingly, the Hedge Brown/Gatekeeper, its deep orange uppersides glowing against the deep-green mid-summer shrubbery has lost 40% of the distribution it held before 2010, falling from an occupancy of 99 10 km squares to 59.

None of these butterflies are highly specialised species that only occupy rare habitats. The reasons for the declines are described in the Atlas. We need to be on high alert when our commonest species plunge so precipitously because it speaks to widescale environmental degradation.

The deeper solutions require societal change but at a minimum avoiding the destruction of the remaining natural vegetation on public land would help. In this regard, draining state-owned bogs to install wind turbines, Waterways Ireland rock armouring the banks of the River Barrow and removing the river’s riparian vegetation, applying herbicide in public parks to kill nettles and removing hedges and roadside trees are readily avoidable.

Beyond this, assiduous application of the EU Nature Restoration Law, protecting habitats at the landscape level, including creating a National Park on state-owned peatlands in northwest Kildare/East Offaly, will be a declaration of real intent.

The issue of chemically mediated agriculture must be addressed. Intensive farming damages our entire environment by polluting soils, water, and the atmosphere. Our butterflies are suffering from these pollution impacts. Butterflies are conspicuous and easily recordable, making them among the most reliable biological indicators we have. They indicate the quality of the soil, water, air, and vegetation.

Butterflies are the proverbial canary in the coal mine. The canary must not stop singing. If it does, we might not be around to see the results.

Thank you.

Ends

Some Key points from the Atlas

Of the resident species recorded:

16 showed no significant change in distribution.

Seven species increased in their range, with the Comma butterfly showing the largest expansion in range since it was first recorded in Wexford in 2000. It is now common in the southern part of the country. This is considered a natural expansion due to climate change. The others, from the largest expansion to the lowest, are Essex Skipper, Small Skipper, Marsh Fritillary, Holly Blue, Dingy Skipper, and Silver-washed Fritillary.

Nine decreased in range with the most dramatic being that of Wall. The Wall was recorded in  52.20% fewer 10km squares in 2010-2021 and before 2010. It has died out from large parts of the midlands (especially the north midlands) and is becoming increasingly confined to coastal habitats. It is thought that this decline is the result of dual factors associated with excess nitrogen in the environment and a changing climate. 

The research shows that whilst changing environmental conditions results in more favourable habitat conditions for a small number of resident species, it primarily creates conditions that are less favourable, leading to the decline in many species of butterflies in Ireland.

The two publications are available to purchase online at the Biodiversity Ireland Shop. 

Further information: https://www.npws.ie/news/minister-o%E2%80%99sullivan-launches-two-landmark-publications-support-ireland%E2%80%99s-biodiversity-and

 

There is a wonderfully uplifting moment in Jane Austen’s novel Emma when the title character receives an unexpected offer of marriage from the noble but restrained Mr Knightley (note the rather obvious name symbolism). The backdrop to the offer is grim. Seen through the neurosis of Emma’s perspective, Knightley appears destined to offer his love to another, and she has damaged her relationship with him and others beyond repair. As the critic Ronald Blythe points out in his introduction to the Penguin edition, the story is not about ‘the marriage of true minds’ but it explores, with the ingenuity of detective fiction, the marriage ordeal.

This ordeal and the bleak circumstances for Emma are reflected in the narrative description of the weather:

A cold stormy rain set in, and nothing of July appeared but in the trees and shrubs, which the wind was despoiling, and in the length of the day, which only made such cruel sights the longer visible. (Austen, 1815, p. 409-10)

However, the following afternoon the meteorological melancholy lifted:

In the afternoon it cleared; the wind changed into a softer quarter; the clouds were carried off; the sun appeared; it was summer again…Never had the exquisite sight, smell, sensation of nature, tranquil, warm, and brilliant after a storm, been more attractive to her. (Austen, 1815, p. 412)

This description of the changing weather forms a glorious parable behind the moment the heroine and Mr Knightley are united.

The literary device for linking the human mood with the mood of nature is frequently applied in novels, plays, poetry and film. It never gets tired because it works.

In fiction and reality, the mood is impacted by the weather. Some of this impact is severe; ‘climate anxiety’ is defined by Yale:

Climate anxiety is fundamentally distress about climate change and its impacts on the landscape and human existence. That can manifest as intrusive thoughts or feelings of distress about future disasters or the long-term future of human existence and the world, including one’s own descendants (Lowe, 2025).

Anyone who thinks this is new should look at Emma’s father’s weather phobias, and indeed the outlook of several characters that populate the novel. Winter turns them into moles, and a dusting of snow induces panic. Heat has a disorientating impact, with the July Box Hill picnic a fractious and bad-tempered outing.

However, humans have always been profoundly affected by climate and weather. In recent history in this part of the world, when poor weather damaged harvests economic loss, social and political upheaval and even mass starvation occurred. Invertebrates are no different. The months of cool, inclement weather in 2023 and 2024 severely reduced butterfly and moth abundance.

The prolonged sunny weather during March and up to April 10th this year (2025) accelerated the development of butterfly larvae. The Marsh Fritillary caterpillars Euphydryas aurinia at Lullybeg reached the sixth (final) instar early in April and many pupated. This happened in April 2011 and the first Marsh Fritillary adults danced above the grasslands in Lullybeg on 8th May when spring dissolved into cold winds and rain. Summer never happened in 2011. The early glories of spring were pulverized by biblical rains. In July the river at Lullybeg overflowed and drowned whatever larvae were produced by the few stalwart adults that bred there. It took several years for the riverbank population to return. As though embedded in the colony’s collective memory, the habitat in that part of the reserve was shunned by future generations, until recently.

This year the weather turned wet and cool from early in the second week in April but has made a recovery effort in recent days. The default setting for Ireland’s climate is unpredictable. This year, we could see the misery of 2011’s ‘summer’ or the sublime summer of 2018. Or an absurd mixture of both. Neurosis can be provoked by our erratic climate. We never know what we face or how to act.

However, I have learned to look askance at extended lavish sunshine in spring. The meteorological auditor usually institutes a punitive balancing of the books. 2007, 2009 and 2011 provide evidence of this  ‘equilibrium’. In these years, spring and summer swapped positions. On the other hand, the bleak spring of 2013, when weeks of leaden skies chilled our countryside, offered no sign of the summer. Winter over-stayed. There was no spring in 2013. Winter’s reign was directly followed by summer. And it was glorious. I recall seeing 13 pristine Wood Whites Leptidea sinapis between Murroogh and Murrooghtoohy in Northwest Clare, near Black Head, on 5th July, a perfect, happy day. This is a late date for the first generation of the Wood White which usually hatches from early May and finishes flying around mid-June. Of the three Dingy Skippers Erynnis tages I saw that day one was freshly hatched. Late to fly but making up for lost time.

Weather has a powerful influence on abundance (survival rates), emergence times, brood structure, hibernation and migration. Extreme heat during spring and summer is beneficial to most species. Extreme heat from November to February is negative for populations. Emergence times and hibernation are strongly influenced by seasonal factors such as day length but prolonged spring heat will promote earlier emergence from the pupa and will prompt earlier emergence of butterflies that over-winter as adults. We saw the first Dingy Skipper butterfly (a species that emerges from the pupa in spring) on 12th April this year. In 2024 we didn’t record this teddy bear-like butterfly flutter until 15th May, a month later. Geraldine Nee reported the first Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni (which passes the winter in the adult state) at Derrinrush Woods, County Mayo on 23rd February, an early date for this lovely creature. In some years (2020) it takes us an additional month to see our first Brimstone.

The number of generations that multi-brooded butterflies produce is influenced by the weather over the flight season. A warm spring and summer can see the Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas produce three generations, but in Ireland, the third brood will be a partial generation with most of the second brood’s larvae overwintering. Under unfavourable conditions, a multi-brooded species might issue a cancellation order and produce just one generation. This flexibility is an excellent survival strategy. In Ireland, this has been observed, or strongly suspected, in the Small Tortoiseshell in dry summers in Howth, County Dublin. In such years, nettles are unsuitable for a second brood. Instead of breeding, the first generation hibernates until the following spring.

This April, a strong sirocco blew from Tunisia to Malta and Italy for several days. This brought many insects from North Africa, including the billowing, gaudy Plain Tiger butterfly Danaus chrysippus (nothing plain about this masterpiece). Large numbers of other migrants, notably Clouded Yellow Colias croceus, Painted Lady Vanessa cardui, Vestal Rhodometra sacraria and Striped Hawkmoth  Hyles livornica also appeared, some in impressive totals. Depending on their breeding success in southern Europe and following southerly winds this summer, we might see some of their offspring later this year.

Wouldn’t that lift our mood?  

Reference

Lowe, S. (2025) Yale Experts Explain Climate Anxiety. Available at: https://sustainability.yale.edu/explainers/yale-experts-explain-climate-anxiety#:~:text=LOWE%3A%20Climate%20anxiety%20is%20fundamentally,world%2C%20including%20one’s%20own%20descendants.(Accessed 27 April 2025).

 

The best weather day in February gave a welcome morale boost to our work. The sun (we had 11 consecutive dull days in February; a dull day is defined as a day with less than half an hour’s direct sunlight) shone almost throughout our time at Lullybeg.

We devoted our attention to the well-known corridor connecting Lullymore with Lullybeg. This long, broad east-west ride is bounded on both sides by woodland. Sheltered, it contains wet, humid and dry conditions, holding wet and dry heath, wet and humid grassland and important species-rich scrub. The Molinia grassland is rich in Devil’s-bit Scabious and holds a Marsh Fritillary population.

The conservation challenge in this area is shading by encroaching scrub and tall trees especially those to the south. The Marsh Fritillary cannot tolerate shade and disappears when its habitat is not in full sun. The Brimstone also needs direct sun on its foodplants for breeding. This butterfly is spoiled for choice here, with Purging Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn growing together. The adjoining woodland provides an over-wintering habitat for the hibernating adults.

We had two approaches to address our conservation priorities. One was to clear the grassland of scrubby birch and willow. The other was to cut overhanging trees along the edge of the ride to remove and prevent shade.

Care was taken to identify buckthorns and leave these in place. Some fine examples of the two buckthorn species were discovered deep in heavy scrub. Clearing the surrounding willow and birch means these are now available to egg-laying females and the areas of grassland that were partly shaded now receive more light. We also found violets, which are now receiving more light. These plants might now be available for use by the Silver-washed Fritillary.

Extensive cutting was needed and lunch provided a happy conservation-filled break. These are great opportunities for catching up with our conservation friends and the chats are my highlights. The work is tough but the results are the payback. Strolling in this area from May to September is an incredible experience. This area has the greatest dragonfly abundance I have seen anywhere and there are always butterflies here, such as Holly Blue, Green Hairstreak, Dark Green Fritillary and Comma.

Yesterday we found eight Marsh Fritillary nests after a quick look. All were basking on dry Molinia (Purple Moor-grass) in crystal late winter sunshine. Deep black, bristly caterpillars glowed in this lucidity, a hint of the purer glory of the June adults. Their presence reminds us of why we work, urging us back to the task of bringing sunshine to their habitat.

Photos copyright Jesmond Harding.

Under the 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 the areas as Special Areas of Conservation. This was 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 feature’ for the Special Area of Conservation. A full list of Ireland’s SACs can be found here:

https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/files/SAC%20quick%20reference%20table(1).pdf

Ireland listed 12 SACs with the Marsh Fritillary as a qualifying feature (in each SAC, other qualifying features are listed too). The 12 sites are listed here: https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/search/by-feature?feature%5B%5D=6133&designation%5B%5D=375

A check of the documents available concerning each site on the National Parks & Wildlife Service website makes for 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 feature 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?

The Marsh Fritillary was recorded in just four of the 12 SACs. These are:
1. Bricklieve Mountains and Keishcorran SAC
2. East Burren Complex SAC
3. Moneen Mountain SAC
4. West of Ardara/Maas Road SAC

My records indicate it is extinct in Ballynafagh (last recorded 1999) and Killarney (last recorded 2006), the report for Barrigone 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 survey in 2012 did not find the species in the SAC (Wilson et al., 2013).

Was Lavery correct when he wrote the paper? Was his word taken without an NPWS site survey? Why is the area designated to protect a butterfly that does not occur there?

The area occupied by the Marsh Fritillary at Barrigone has dried out and is now overgrown with scrub. Geoffrey Hunt, a reliable recorder 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 feature 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 have visited Bunduff Lough and Machair/Trawalua/Mullaghmore SAC (the terrestrial area is 1,812.12ha) and St. John’s Point SAC (the terrestrial area is 152.08ha) and found larval webs on these sites. However, while I did not measure the area of suitable habitat present on these sites, the areas are not extensive.

I calculated the combined area of the SACs (excluding maritime areas for coastal sites) and, where the figure was provided, the area of suitable habitat for the butterfly. In two SACs, located in the Burren, the area of suitable habitat was estimated by NPWS, not measured. 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 ratio of Marsh Fritillary habitat to total SAC land of 1:28 is problematic.

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 of 50ha (note: 50ha2 is ½ km2) of suitable habitat within an area of 16km2 (1600ha) is indicated by Bulman et al. (2007). (This ratio is 1ha:32ha.) The 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 and habitat distribution of the Marsh Fritillary reflect that in England, the combined figures for the 12 SACs designated to protect the species are below the minimum threshold needed for long-term survival.
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 exceeds the minimum required. The Burren SACs and the habitat and habitat ratios are:

East Burren Complex (18800.65 ha (188 km2 ): 3,200ha (32km2), ratio 1:6 and Moneen Mountain (6100ha (61 km2): 2,500ha (25 km2), ratio is 1:2.4.

A proper analysis of the minimum figure for regions holding the smaller SACs would need to factor in any suitable habitat in areas adjoining the SAC to assess the species on a regional basis. However, adjoining areas might not hold breeding habitat.

The absence of detailed management plans for some SACs is another problem. How do we know if the habitat is being managed correctly? The Burren’s populations are safe, for now.

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 no longer occurs. These are sites where protecting the Marsh Fritillary is a conservation priority.  Protecting the butterfly which means protecting its habitat, preserves many important habitats and species. The absence of the butterfly highlights poor habitat quality, bad practice and lack of care. 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 the habitat within SACs and expand the network of protected areas and appropriately manage these areas to at least meet the minimum habitat size of 50ha within 16km2 to ensure this lovely butterfly’s long-term survival.’

Two areas set aside for nature where the land is managed specifically for the Marsh Fritillary are Butterfly Conservation Ireland’s Crabtree Reserve, Lullybeg, Kildare and the Irish Peatland Conservation Council’s Lullymore West Butterfly Reserve. Both sites hold long-term, thriving populations. It can be done.

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.

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 (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.

 

 

 

 

 

Butterfly Conservation Ireland Annual Report 2024 is now available. You can find it under the Report tab: https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/butterfly-conservation-ireland-annual-report-2024/

We hope you enjoy the content. A hard copy is available free to all members of Butterfly Conservation Ireland.

On 1^st November 2024, the Irish Government published its response to the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. This was done just before the General Election was called. The statement concerning the report can be found here:

https://www.npws.ie/news/government-publishes-response-recommendations-citizens%E2%80%99-assembly-biodiversity-loss

It claims:

Over 90% of recommendations are ‘In progress’ or ‘Implemented’

Work will continue across Government to address gaps, including through the forthcoming national Nature Restoration Plan

Report also includes responses to the ‘Calls to Action’ from the Children and Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss

The report can be read here:

https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/310662/9af8b802-a500-464a-8501-577eed84797b.pdf#page=null

The government states that the National Biodiversity Action Plan was assessed by the Worldwide Fund for Nature and “was found to be the best in Europe and one of the best in the world.”

These are the Government’s claims. Do these withstand scrutiny?

What does the Worldwide Fund for Nature say about Ireland’s National Biodiversity Action Plan?

First, a definition: the Worldwide Fund for Nature references the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) when assessing National Biodiversity Action Plans.

In 2022, 196 countries agreed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This is a historic deal for nature and a breakthrough for conserving and restoring biodiversity and ensuring its sustainable use. The GBF contains four goals and 23 targets. One goal is to

Substantially increase the area of natural ecosystems by maintaining, enhancing or restoring the integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems. Reduce by tenfold the extinction rate and risk of all species and increase the abundance of native wild species. Maintain the genetic diversity of wild and domesticated species and safeguard their adaptive potential.

(Source: https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/cop15-global-biodiversity-framework/#:~:text=The%20GEF%20is%20an%20international,change%20responses%20in%20developing%20countries.)

The Worldwide Fund for Nature is highly complimentary about Ireland’s 4^th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBSAP). It notes that the Plan addresses all the targets of the GBF.  These can be read in Appendix I of the Plan. Targets, clear actions and success indicators are stated.

However,  the Fund notes problems too. Areas lacking include no specific plans within the NBSAP to reduce the footprint of consumption within Ireland other than what is already in place (GBF Target 16); plans to address harmful incentives (GBF Target 18) do not go further than committing to implement a financial tracking system.  Overall, financing commitments and actions are weak. GBF Target 18 calls for the Governments to

eliminate, phase out or reform incentives: incentives, including subsidies, harmful for biodiversity, in a proportionate, just, fair, effective and equitable way by 2030, starting with the most harmful incentives, and scale up positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

(Source: https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets/18)

In the matter of financing the 4^th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBSAP), the Worldwide Fund for Nature states:

In terms of financing, 3 billion euros have been allocated in Ireland’s 2024 Budget to an Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund which may include support for the delivery of the NBSAP but it is unclear how much will be dedicated to the NBSAP or to which action plans. The process to develop a National Biodiversity Finance Plan dedicated to NBSAP execution is underway which may yield more resources. 

The 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan is in place, but will it be implemented? And how well will it work?

Since this Government took office in 2020, some positive initiatives have been implemented. The state has ceased destroying peat bogs in its ownership and has re-wet a minority of the peatlands held by Bord na Móna. Coillte (state forestry service) is also restoring some peatland.  However, a negative lies in the failure to implement Recommendation 117 of the Citizen’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss which provides:

All enterprise involved in the harnessing of renewable energy from or on all peatland must have a strict biodiversity net gain clause attached to their development permission and must be responsible for the ongoing and future management and enhancement of the biodiversity of their sites.

The result is likely to be the destruction of habitats and ongoing biodiversity loss from these peatland sites. The document provides no reason for this decision. Recommendation 50 of the Citizen’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss is to

stop the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides. This would include: – Preventing people from spraying plants with pesticides and chemicals, and making sure farmers do not spread chemicals on the roads

This recommendation is not being implemented.

Of the 159 Recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, 134 (84.3%) are considered by the Government to be in progress, 15 (9.4%) are being implemented and 10 (6.3%) are not being implemented.

A huge amount of work has not been completed. Some of the targets in the National Biodiversity Action Plan, such as the notification of Annex habitats and species listed on the EU Habitats and Birds Directives and the development of management plans for Special Areas of Conservation should have been completed decades ago. The National Peatland Strategy 2015-2025 has missed important deadlines for the completion of actions. It is doubtful that some of these will be completed. Ireland remains without a national park holding a single raised bog, a priority habitat.

A complete review of the Government’s claims and progress is impossible here, but let’s look at some problems.

The Eurasian Curlew might cease breeding in Ireland. Its farmland and bogland breeding areas have mostly been destroyed. The Lapwing is in deep trouble for similar reasons.

The 2024 Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme report (which covers the 2023 flight season) contains stark news.

No resident butterfly species showed an increase in population size compared to 2008. During 2008-2023, four of our butterflies experienced a ‘strong decline’ and eight experienced a ‘moderate decline’. Two are regarded as stable while seven are rated ‘uncertain.’ Just one butterfly, the migrant Red Admiral, showed an increase. (Source: Judge, M and Lysaght, L. (2024). The Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme Newsletter, Issue 16. National Biodiversity Data Centre).

Next year’s report will show even bigger declines, owing to the poor summer weather in 2023 and 2024, ongoing challenges of shrinking habitat, pollution and climate change. If we were to judge the Government’s success in dealing with biodiversity based on the population levels of our butterflies, we would deliver a failure verdict.

Between 2008 and 2023, a population decline of 60% was recorded for the Common Blue, Wood White agg. and Speckled Wood. The Green-veined White, probably our most widespread species, fell by 82%.

You might ask the politicians and canvassers why so many of our landscapes cannot support abundant populations of once-common butterflies, birds, flowers and bees. Ask why Ireland insists on destroying biodiversity by clinging to its derogation from the Nitrates Directive and continues to use poisons and pollutants to grow food.

How many Small Tortoiseshell butterflies did you see in 2024? If common butterflies with no special requirements no longer thrive, the Government cannot claim success in protecting nature.