31 species of butterfly in Ireland

There are 31 species of butterfly in Ireland. You can find about 28 of these species in the Burren in Co. Clare and 21 in Lullymore West bog in Co. Kildare.

Small

1. Common Blue
2. Holly Blue
3. Small Blue
4. Green Hairstreak
5. Purple Hairstreak
6. Brown Hairstreak
7. Small Copper
8. Dingy Skipper

Brown

1. Meadow Brown
2. Ringlet
3. Wall Brown
4. Speckled Wood
5. Grayling
6. Small Heath
7. Large Heath
8. Gatekeeper

White

1. Small White
2. Large White
3. Green-veined White
4. Wood White
5. Orange Tip
6. Brimstone
7. Clouded Yellow

Multi-coloured

1. Small Tortoiseshell
2. Peacock
3. Red Admiral
4. Painted Lady
5. Silver-washed Fritillary
6. Dark Green Fritillary
7. Pearl-bordered Fritillary
8. Marsh Fritillary

Find out more on Ireland's butterflies:

• See photos, read information on and find out where to spot all these butterfly species at www.irishbutterflies.com
• Buy the Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland the most comprehensive survey of butterflies ever undertaken in Britain and Ireland
• Visit Butterfly Ireland for distribution maps and photographs of Irish butterflies, caterpillars and pupae.
• Visit this UK focused website - a good source of information on butterfly species that are also found in Ireland http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/

Ireland's peatlands under threat

According to the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) it has recently become apparent that the Irish government

"are slowing down on their designation of Irish peatlands as Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs). This inaction means that sites that are currently proposed as Natural Heritage Areas under national legislation (link), are in fact not protected at all".

The IPCC is particularly concerned about fens. Developers are at liberty to destroy them, which they often do:

"Two proposed NHA fens in Waterford - Kilbarry Bog and Ballina Lough have been
badly damaged. Even more depressing is the case of Girley Raised Bog in Co.
Meath, a designated NHA where a developer inserted drains all over the site"

The IPCC's Peatlands Under Threat Campaign aims to review the status of every peatland site in Ireland including

• a review and update of the boundaries, names, habitat and species designations of all existing and new peatland Special Areas of Conservation (SACs - a European Network of protected areas)


• a comparison of the IPCC's information on the boundaries, names and quality of all existing and new peatland Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) with similar information arising by a recent survey by the National Parks and Wildlife Service

Arising from these reviews the IPCC aims to publish a new strategic action plan to ensure longterm protection for Irish peatlands.

• Read the Irish Peatland Conservation Council Action Plan 2005


• Join the IPCC to support and get regular updates on their work

Kildare bog home to 21 of Ireland's 28(ish) butterfly species

Lullymore West Bog in Co. Kildare is being conserved by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council for its incredible diversity of butterflies. According to the IPCC:

"With 21 out of the 28 Irish resident breeding butterfly species finding refuge here, including the endangered Marsh Fritillary, this fragile wetland habitat is exceptional in Ireland... The remoteness of the bog is a double-edged sword. On the one hand it's fantastic for wildlife watching, but on the other it allows unscrupulous people to undertake anti-social activities at our bog, such as dumping, quad biking and tree felling."

In response the IPCC have developed a management plan to guide activities at the 4.5 hectare site for the next five years (to 2012). Plans include

• providing fencing, information signs and visitor guidance;
• carrying out habitat and species mapping and
• setting up a long term butterfly transect to enable ongoing monitoring.

You can find out more, see photos and donate to the Lullymore West project.

Other sources indicate that there are actually closer to 31 species of butterfly in Ireland.

2020 Vision: Protecting and Improving Ireland’s Environment

This month the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have published and sought public comment on the draft strategy 2020 Vision: Protecting and Improving Ireland’s Environment (Word, 37 pages, 781 KB). According to Dr Mary Kelly, Director General, EPA:

"We need to know what environmental priorities the public would like to see addressed, and what steps might be taken to address them"

The draft strategy identifies six main environmental issues:

• Clean Air
• Clean & Plentiful Water Resources
• Protected Soil & Biodiversity
• Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (waste management)
• Limiting & Adapting to Climate Change
• Integration & Enforcement

Protecting and enhancing Dublin City's natural environment

The role of the Dublin City Heritage Office is to "protect and enhance the status and perception of Dublin City’s natural and man made heritage". This is being done through the implementation of the Dublin City Heritage Plan 2002-2006 (PDF, 28 pages, 4 MB).

As the natural environment is included in the Heritage Office's remit they have produced some associated leaflets:

• Conserving Bats Leaflet (PDF, 4 pages, 412 KB)
  Outlines the importance of bats, the threats that they face and methods of conservation
• Hedgerows Leaflet (PDF, 4 pages, 1.6 MB)
  Outlines the value of hedgerows, the threats that they face and how they can be properly maintained
• Natural Heritage Surveys (PDF, 64 pages, 3 MB)
  A register of all known studies of the natural environment in the city area, both published and unpublished.

Almost all the wintering population of Light-bellied Brent Geese

Strangford Lough is a large (150 sq km) shallow sea lough situated on the east coast of Co. Down in Northern Ireland. About a third of the Lough is intertidal - at low tide huge expanses of sandflats are exposed at the northern end. At high tide this area is covered in shallow water.

Strangford Lough supports plentiful wildlife from common and grey seals and porpoise, to horse mussels, sea-anemones, kelp forests, soft corals, sea-cucumbers, curled octopus and sunstars. Burrowing in the finer sands are brittlestar, pelican's-foot shells, and the sea pens. Birds include waders such as dunlin, turnstone, black and bar-tailed godwits, plover and knots. In winter, these are joined with up to 15000 overwintering Brent geese along with flocks of knot, dunlin, curlew, redshank and oystercatcher. The decline of widgeon and arrival of Little Egrets are thought to be as a result of climate change.

In total, over 2000 marine animals and plant species have been found, including 72% of all the species recorded from around the Northern Ireland coast. Of these, 28 are found only in the Lough.

• Lots more information on the biodiversity and management of Strangford Lough can be found at http://www.strangfordlough.org/
• Visit the Castle Espie Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre which forms part of the Strangford Lough Ramsar site.

Save our squirrels

In many parts of Ireland, red squirrels are being outcompeted by non-native grey squirrels. However, a pilot project that is taking place throughout 2007, aims to preserve healthy populations of red squirrels in the West of Ireland. Here, the Shannon forms a natural barrier, inhibiting the spread of greys from East to West.

The project involves identifying suitable woodland habitat, and relocating red squirrels from other areas where they are at risk. In February, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) managed the relocation of 15 red squirrels from Portumna National Park in Co Galway to Derryclare Wood in Connemara. Squirrels are also due to be relocated to Belleek Wood in Co Mayo. The relocation approach conforms to strict International Union for the Conservation of Nature guidelines.

Conserving Ireland's 50,000 red squirrels

The IUCN's Red List categorises the Eurasian Red Squirrel as Near Threatened. The species is widespread, but suffering from habitat fragmentation and competition from introduced grey squirrels. It is estimated that for every 1 red squirrel in Ireland there are 5 greys (around 50,000 reds to 250,000 greys). However, a pilot relocation project West of the River Shannon (where there is less pressure from the greys) aims to restablish healthy populations in new habitats.

In Co. Galway, 15 red squirrels have recently been trapped and relocated from Portumna National Park to Derryclare Wood in Connemara. A second translocation of squirrels to the Coillte owned Belleek Wood in Co. Mayo has been approved by the Minister for the Environment Dick Roche. It is thought that Beleek Wood could support a population of 65 red squirrels but before any are introduced the Belleek Wood Enhancement Group and Coillte are improving the wood as squirrel habitat.

The Department of the Environment's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is overseeing the work within guidelines from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

• Read the Proceedings of the Irish Red Squirrel Conservation Symposium, 2005 (PDF, 19 pages, 106KB)