The Irish Naturalist

By Owen Beckett

Tag: insect

Common Blue, Killard Point, Ireland, June 2020

Killard Point: Some recent highlights from one of Ireland’s finest nature reserves.

September 16, 2020 /

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.

 

Mediterranean Skipper, Nerja, Spain, July 2020

Nerja and Maro: wildlife highlights July 2020

July 23, 2020 /

Nerja and Maro are two towns nestled along the Costa del Sol in Andalusia in southern Spain, an area which sees droves of tourists flock their each year, especially in the summer to avail of the abundant sunshine and pristine beaches. One of the lesser-known facets of the region is its wonderfully rich wildlife. The Sierra Nevada near Granada (some 50 km away) is a popular site for ecotourism, but Nerja and its neighbour still receive little attention by comparison. This July I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to explore the area and see what it had to offer.

Andalusia is one of the hottest regions in Europe and come July much of the land (particularly that which is low-lying or near the coast) can look parched and barren. A closer look however can reveal a community of  plants and insects which are well-adapted to survive the intense summer sunshine. In some of the areas of wasteground and scrub outside the towns plants such as Mediterranean Thyme, Sand Viper’s Bugloss and Arabian Pea can be found:

The Mediterranean Thyme in particular is a popular nectar source for the various insects which inhabit the area, especially butterflies. Typical Mediterranean species such as the European Swallowtail, Long-tailed Blue, Southern Blue, Southern Brown Argus, Small Copper and Bath White were all attracted to the profusion of lilac flowers. The Southern Blue and Southern Brown Argus are Iberian counterparts of the Common Blue and Brown Argus respectively, which occur elsewhere in Europe and it was nice to see both again after finding them in southern Portugal a few years ago.   The Geranium Bronze is another butterfly species which can be readily seen in the area, although more often in parks and gardens. It is a non-native species from South Africa which arrived in Europe in the 1980s via imported Geraniums (its larval foodplant) and is now very much a Mediterranean denizen.

In addition to these commoner species, I was treated to a couple of local specialities; the Monarch,  Mediterranean Skipper and Desert Orange Tip. The former is probably the most famous butterfly in the world, due to its large size and annual migration across North America, when thousands of individuals cross en masse from the north to the south of the continent. In Europe however it is somewhat of a rarity and such migrations are not undertaken, as it is a resident in the south of Spain as well as the Canary Islands. It is another relatively recent coloniser, thanks in part due to the widespread planting of its foodplant, Milkweed in parks and gardens throughout the area over the last few decades. The Mediterranean Skipper on the other hand is native, but quite patchy throughout the Mediterranean region. It is a small nondescript species but a very fast flier, so I was lucky to get a few shots of this rarity before it flew off! The Desert Orange Tip is more of a north African species, but it just manages to creep onto the European continent here in southern Spain. It likes very hot, rocky areas and a managed to find an individual near one of Maro’s beaches, a fine male basking in the sun.

Other than butterflies, the area was also home to several different varieties of dragonfly as well as spiders, wasps and shieldbugs. The Violet Dropwing was the standout dragonfly species, with its rich red and violet colouration it was the most spectacular dragonfly I’ve ever seen. The Keeled Skimmer was also present and whilst not as striking as the previous species its rich blue colour makes it an attractive dragonfly in its own right. Striped Shieldbugs were present on some of the Fennel plants growing in the area, whilst the impressive Violet Carpenter Bee (one of Europe’s largest bees) was seen a few times on the Mediterranean Thyme and Yellow Restharrow.

Although they terrify some people, the wasps and spiders of the area are in reality quite harmless as long as they aren’t pestered and are usually much more interested in flowers or catching other insects than they are in people. The most impressive spider in the region (and the largest in Europe) is the Gibraltar Funnel-web Spider. It is a large, black spider which constructs cylindrical webs deep among the dry vegetation. They are not a particularly common species and consequently are protected in Spain. Another spider of interest was the Napoleon Spider. This species is much smaller but thanks to its striking red and black colouration, it can be spotted easily. The wasps I found in the outskirts of Nerja included the Red-horned Sand Digger, the French Paper Wasp and the formidable Beewolf. The latter is a particularly interesting species, as it creates burrows in areas of sandy soil before catching and paralysing honeybees to deposit in the burrows for its larvae, which develop safely within the burrow and feed on the honeybees. Gruesome, but a fascinating life cycle.

As expected, bird activity was quite low. A few Starlings, Spanish Sparrows and Spotted Flycatchers were seen in the vicinity of where I was staying, likely availing of the abundance of insects around! I also managed to find some kind of hawk or falcon patrolling the area close to the Maro Aqueduct, but I didn’t get close enough views to determine an ID. Reptiles were also present (as they often are in Mediterranean climes), in particular lizards. The Large Psammodromus was the most commonly seen lizard, visible almost everywhere on hot rocky surfaces particularly in the morning. A few Moorish Geckos were also present in our postbox of all places! I also managed to find a frog near one of the irrigation channels beside the Avocado groves nearby, as well as a snake beside the Cuevas de Nerja, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a good enough look at either to figure out what species they were. All in all however it was a very rich area in wildlife and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in nature, particularly insects as there were far more species present in addition to those I have mentioned, and this was only during July. I am certain there would be a whole host of other species here during the spring in particular. Someday I hope to go back here in April or May to witness the fine display of spring flowers and butterflies that Andalusia is known for. In the next post I will document some of my hikes into the nearby Sierra de Almijara, which had a few surprises of their own…

 

The French Pyrenees – Part 2 – July 2019

August 18, 2019 /

On the third and fourth days of our trip to Gavarnie, we decided to walk up the Val d’Ossoue, a meandering valley which ultimately leads to Vignemale, the highest of the French Pyrenees. Our goal however was not this peak but a picturesque reservoir about 9km along the valley; one which would hopefully be much more achievable! What was interesting about this valley was that despite its close proximity to the Cirque, the scenery and wildlife were rather contrasting.

After stopping in the shop to stock up on food and water we made our way to the foot of the valley on what was looking like a much nicer day. A small meadow near the Gavarnie carpark was alive with butterflies including dozens of Marbled Whites, a few Meadow Browns, Silver-washed Fritillaries, Heath Fritillaries and a few fresh Scarce Coppers. The road led through a small patch of woodland where we saw our first few False Heath Fritillaries of the trip. A couple of damp patches on the road attracted some beautifully-marked Marbled Skippers, as well as more Silver-washed Fritillaries, Chalkhill Blues and Safflower Skippers.

The wooded area soon gave way to more open meadows adjacent to rocky slopes. We were treated to some soaring Lammergeiers and Griffon Vultures  overhead, whilst we heard some calling Marmots further up the hillsides. A Comma was found nectaring by the pathway whilst a rotting bone attracted several Chalkhill Blues as well as an unexpected Amanda’s Blue! Butterflies have a gruesome side too it would seem!

A flowery area beside a small car park had some mudpuddling Spotted Fritillaries, Turquoise Blues and Silver-studded Blues, whilst a rather active Purple-shot Copper of the Iberian race gordius rested only briefly on a flowerhead before zooming away down the valley. It wasn’t long before the first Meadow Fritillary was seen, another target species similar to the Heath Fritillary but with a much less heavily-marked upperside.

With all the butterflies I’ll admit I was a little distracted, but I did manage to spot some Houseleek plants, as well as Round-headed Leek and St. Bruno’s Lily. Past this open area the pathway sticks close to a rock face which continues for a few kilometres. The sun was angled on the rocks which attracted a basking Wall Lizard. Some damp patches by the edges of the road attracted more Spotted Fritillaries as well some Small Skippers, Silver-studded Blues and one or two Escher’s Blues, the first of the trip and another target species!

Near the boundary of the national park there was a small rope bridge where we had a late lunch lunch in the company of several ringlet species, including the Western Brassy Ringlet, Piedmont Ringlet, Lefebvre’s Ringlet and Mountain Ringlet. After lunch we decided to explore the damp riverside areas where we encountered dozens of mudpuddling butterflies. Most were Silver-studded Blues but there were a few Small, Essex and Silver-spotted Skippers, Heath and Meadow Fritillaries, Escher’s Blues, Chalkhill Blues and a solitary Mazarine Blue. Nearby on Yarrow we also noted a beautiful male Scarce Copper, showing off its stunning upperside whilst feeding rather obliviously to us.

After we had finished exploring the river banks it was nearing 4pm and with the descent still to complete, we decided not to press any further and turned back with the intention of getting a well deserved drink! The journey back down the valley also proved very productive, with the milder temperatures resulting in more sedated butterflies. Several Apollos glided down from the hillsides to feed on Knapweed and they were joined by Marbled Whites and a few Lesser Marbled Fritillaries. I spotted an Escher’s Blue perched nicely on a Scabious flower which was soon followed by a Turquoise Blue sunning itself by the roadside. Several other species were roosting or basking in the meadows on the journey down, including Spotted, Meadow and False Heath Fritillaries, Silver-spotted, Small, Safflower and Marbled Skippers, a Southern White Admiral, Large Wall Browns and several Chalkhill Blues.

After taking a few final photos we made our way to our B&B before dinner. I was delighted after such a successful day but I still wanted to get to the picturesque Barrage d’Ossoue and Anna agreed so the next morning we set off again.

Due to how long it took us yesterday we decided to try our luck at hitch hiking our way there and back. We only had to wait 5 minutes before an obliging French couple agreed to take us most of the way; to around 3km before the dam itself. It was another beautiful day and after walking for only a few minutes we were treated to the sighting of a rather inquisitive Marmot who sat on the dirt track quite obediently. A couple of hundred metres further up the track were some small mountain streams flowing across our path which attracted a cluster of mupuddling blues. Among them was a real alpine specialist and one which I was delighted to see, the Glandon Blue. A solitary female was unremarkable in appearance but this rare species is only found in sub-alpine and alpine areas of the Alps and Pyrenees, making it a wonderful find.

I was chuffed after finding the Glandon Blue, however seeing it was somewhat eclipsed by the sighting of its even scarcer mountain-dwelling relative, the Gavarnie Blue. This similar species has a brighter upperside with little or no black on its underside hindwing spots, helping confirm its identity. It is only found in a few sites in the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europe in northern Spain and was by far the find of the trip.

In the final kilometre or so before the dam there were numerous other species of butterfly, such as the Apollo, Clouded Yellow, Chalkhill Blue, Turquoise Blue, Heath Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary and Marbled Skipper, mostly taking minerals from the damp ground. By the time we reached the dam we were ready for lunch which we had on a grassy bank surrounded by Turquoise, Escher’s and Silver-studded Blues, Apollos, Safflower Skippers, Lefebvre’s Ringlets and a few new species such as the Large Grizzled Skipper and the mountain dwelling Shepherd’s Fritillary, two lovely additions which capped off a fabulous butterfly list for the holiday. With cloudless skies, pristine alpine water and abundant wildlife, I can’t imagine that it will be long before I’m back here; a truly magical spot. OB

Irish Shieldbugs

May 18, 2019 /

Shieldbugs are some of Ireland’s most familiar insects , getting their name from their shield-like body. They belong to the order Hemiptera or ‘True Bugs’, which also includes other familiar insects like Pond Skaters, Water Scorpions, Aphids and Flower Bugs.

Most shieldbugs are herbivorous, using their pointed mouthparts to feed on sap from a variety of plants but some may be carnivorous, feeding on soft-bodied moth or beetle larvae. They mostly hibernate as adults, hiding away in sheltered places to emerge and breed in the spring. The eggs are laid either individually or in clusters and the nymphs which subsequently emerge resemble the adults but are smaller, with no wings and a more rounded shape and are often seen in the summer months. They will spend 6-10 weeks in this stage before moulting and reaching the adult stage.

In Ireland there are 17 species of Shieldbug present, but only 6 of these have been recorded in my area. The commonest species in my garden is the Green Shield Bug, Palomena prasina which frequents hedgerows, shrubs and trees, feeding in particular on bramble. It is found throughout Ireland but is rare in the north and the central counties.

Another common species in the garden is the Gorse Shieldbug (Piezodorus lituratus) which is almost always found on gorse bushes. It is slightly smaller than the previous species with varying shades of green, blending in with gorse seed pods rather well. It is common in Ireland in areas of heath, scrub and gardens.

The third is the appropriately named Forest Shieldbug, Pentatoma rufipes. It is easy to identify being the only brown coloured shieldbug in the garden. It is fond of feeding on Oak and Alder trees but I suspect the ones that I have observed are feeding on Willow, Ash or Hazel. It is typically seen in the Autumn.

Two other similar-looking species that occur in the garden from time to time are the Hawthorn (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) and Birch (Elasmostethus interstinctus) Shieldbugs. As their names would suggest they feed primarily on Hawthorn and Birch respectively, but will also take Hazel, Oak and Aspen. Both species are predominantly green with brown markings, with the Birch Shieldbug being slightly smaller and brighter.

The final species, the Hairy Shieldbug (Dolycoris baccarum) is a recently established species, having spread northwards from the south of Ireland; my observations are possibly Ireland’s northernmost record! It is a peculiar member of this family being the only representative covered in hairs (hence its name). It is reportedly found in tall grassland, scrub and woodland edges and feeds mainly on Blackthorn.

I would suspect that the habitat in my local area would be suitable for a few other species, such as the Bronze and Parent Shieldbugs, but I am yet to see them. Maybe if I spend enough time clambering through thickets and scrub I’ll find a few to add to the list!

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