Friday, February 23, 2007

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:

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The island of ireland

Once upon a time, and for 15000 years, ice a mile high blanketed Ireland. When the lingering Ice Age finally released and the Irish ice departed it left a landscape scoured. Across land bridges linking Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe plants and animals arrived to colonise the new lowlands, mountains and valleys. The world’s ice continued to melt, the sea levels to rise, and some 8000 years ago Ireland became the island we now know, accounting for just 0.01% of the world's total land area and the most westerly point of Europe.

Though at Alaskan latitudes, the country's climate is tempered, due partly to the neighbouring waters of the Gulf Stream and partly the prevailing southwesterlies that veering and backing make landfall on our sodden coast. These offerings from the Atlantic mean it is never too hot, never too cold. But without doubt it is wet. Rain lingers year round, never far away, though is most frequent in winter, the western counties and, inevitably, on the day of your parade.