Killard Point is a small headland situated south of Strangford Lough along the coast of County Down. It is comprised mostly of coastal meadows with smaller areas of dune, scrub and cliff-face, each with their own highlights. Its primary drawing card is its plant diversity but in my opinion it is also very much an underrated site for insects, something which kept me coming back throughout the summer!

Butterflies

The variety of butterflies which occur here is not exceptional, but it is a definite hotspot for several more localised species and the numbers of such species here can be exceptional. Dark Green Fritillaries can be found in unimproved grasslands and rough heathy sites across Ireland, but are often much more abundant at the coast and here they can be seen in good numbers throughout June and July. They are joined during this time by the Common Blue, which linger on until August. There are two Satyrid species which occur here in large numbers; the Small Heath and Meadow Brown. The former is seen mostly in May and June, then again in smaller numbers in August whilst the latter is seen from June-August, with a definite peak in July.  The Grayling (which is local in Ireland) also occurs here although I have never seen it. The site also attracts several other ‘generalist’ species like Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Small White and Painted Lady, whilst the migratory Clouded Yellow also occurs here in the autumn in favourable years.

Bumblebees

The density and variety of wild flowers are a big attraction for bumblebee species and I have recorded several species here, some common and others scarce. One of the commonest bees here is the Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius). This species has declined in Ireland and shies away from areas of intensive agriculture, but is abundant here due to the pristine unimproved meadows. It is commonly seen feeding on Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Restharrow, Common Knapweed and Field Scabious. The Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee (Bombus rupestris) which uses the previous species as its host occurred here at one stage, although it is not known whether it still exists at the site. Although I have yet to find it, the strong host populations would suggest that it is certainly possible. Other common species include the Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and the White-tailed Bumblebee complex (Bombus lucorum agg.), a group of closely related bees that cannot be separated without DNA testing.  The Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum) is also very abundant and occurs here alongside the similar yet much rarer Moss Carder Bee (Bombus muscorum). The latter is a much-declined bumblebee of damp unimproved grassland and flowery meadows and Killard Point is one of the few sites in NI which is still inhabited by this species.

Solitary Bees

Killard Point has several south-facing glacial till and sandy cliff faces, as well as numerous  consolidated sandy patches, all of which are prime nesting areas for a variety of solitary bees. It is a very important site in a national context with dozens of species recorded here. This year I managed to see a good variety of these, including the rediscovery of the very rare Colletes daviesanus, which had not been seen in Ireland for 40 years. Other less common species seen here included Andrena nigroaenea, Nomada goodeniana and Lasioglossum nitidiusculum, in addition to commoner species like Halictus rubicundus, Lasioglossum villosulum and Lasioglossum calceatum, in addition to various Sphecodes species. The site offers great potential to find new populations of solitary bees and I intend to return in the spring to see if I can add to my list of species seen here.

Other Insects

For me personally, bees and butterflies are the main focus but I still keep an eye out for any other insects that happen to cross my path. Whilst walking across Killard during the summer months, it would be hard not to notice the numbers of Cinnabar and Six-spot Burnet Moths. They are both medium-sized, black and red day-flyers that favour open grassy areas, with the Cinnabar emerging in May and the Burnet in June. Other moths I have seen here include the migratory Hummingbird Hawkmoth and the local Yellowtail Moth.

Grasshopper species include the Common Green and Field Grasshoppers, which in turn attract the predatory solitary wasp Tachysphex pompiliformis. The site in general is great for solitary wasps, as I have also seen potter wasps (Ancistrocerus sp.), Ruby-tailed Wasps (Chrysis sp.) and the impressive Amblyjoppa fuscipennis. Social wasps include the Norwegian Wasp (Dolichovespula norwegica).

Birds and other animals

Admittedly, species under this category do not draw my attention as much as they perhaps should, as I tend to be looking towards the ground during my walks here, not skyward! Nevertheless i have still managed to come across a few local or less common bird species whilst I have been here,  the chief among these being the Sand Martin. Whilst not rare, it is a patchy species in Ireland and requires large sand or clay banks for nesting. The Skylark is a much-declined bird in Ireland and has suffered due to changes in crop cycles and agricultural intensification, although it still occurs at Killard Point. Meadow Pipits share the long Marram grass with the Skylarks, whilst the Kestrel can be seen hunting in these open areas, sometimes in threes or fours. Along the shoreline, Oystercatchers are a common sight and Common Seals sometimes beach themselves when it’s quiet.

Plants

As an area of unimproved grassland devoid of herbicides or fertiliser, Killard supports a wonderful array of plant species. In spring it sees a mass-flowering of the attractive Spring Squill, along with its relative the Bluebell which creates a wonderful carpet of pale blue across parts of the reserve. The meadows support several legumes such as Kidney Vetch, Bird’s-foot Trefoil and Restharrow whilst Tufted Vetch grows in some of the more scrubby areas. Other plants in the meadows include Wild Thyme, Field Scabious, Common Knapweed, Eyebright, Lady’s Bedstraw and various Hawkweeds. Thrift, Scarlet Pimpernel, Wild Carrot and Wild Radish grow close to the sea here whilst White Stonecrop grows along the old stone walls nearby. The main attraction for botanists however is the variety of orchids that occur here, particularly the presence of the elusive and stunning Bee Orchid. Other commoner orchids include the Common Spotted Orchid, Twayblade and Pyramidal Orchid.