Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Sunday, 29 August 2021

LARGE RED DAMSELFLY (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) male Abbeyleix Bog, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland


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The Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) is of the family Coenagrionidae which is in the genus Pyrrhosoma. It is commonly found in Europe, smaller populations occur in northern Africa and western Asia. It is on the wing from April to early September.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday, 28 August 2021

IVY BROOMRAPE WILDFLOWER (Orobanche hederae) Abbeyleix Bog, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland


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The Ivy Broomrape Wildflower (Orobanche hederaeer) is of the family  Orobanchaceae which is in the genus Orobanche. It is a parasite of Common Ivy (Hedera helix) and is attached to the hosts root system. This uncommon wild plant does not have any chlorophyll of its own so is totally dependent on the host species for survival.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday, 27 August 2021

YELLOW BANDED CONOPS FLY or YELLOW BANDED BEE GRABBER (Conops quadrifasciatus) male Abbeyleix Bog, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland



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The Yellow Banded Conpos Fly (Conops quadrifasciatus) or Yellow-banded Bee Grabber is of the family Conopidae which is in the genus Conops. This wasp mimic occurs in Europe and in parts of Western Asia. It is a parasite of Red Tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and other members of that genus.The female grabs onto a potential bumblebee host and lays a single egg on it. When the larva hatches, it enters the host and becomes an endoparisite which eventually leads to mortality of the host and then the adult emerges from it. Nectar as well as pollen are its food source and the flight season is from June into September.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday, 26 August 2021

SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY (Argynnis paphia) Abbeyleix Bog, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland


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The Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly (Argynnis paphia) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Argynnis. This very large species occurs throughout the temperate regions of the Palearctic. In Britain, it is found in the southern half of England and Wales. It has a very scattered distribution in Ireland.
Eggs are laid in tree crevices close of it's larval foodplant Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana). The larvae hatch in August and immediately hibernate. They emerge the following April and then feed on the foodplant. Pupation occurs during May and the adult flight season is from July to late September.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday, 25 August 2021

PALE SADDLED LEUCOZONA HOVERFLY (Leucozona glaucia) female Abbeyleix Bog, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland



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The Pale Saddled Leucozona Hoverfly (Leucozona glaucia) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Leucozona. This Palearctic species has a scattered and local distribution in Ireland.The flight season is from early May to mid September. The larval food source are aphids. The pollen eating adults are commonly found on umbellifer plants.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  
 
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Tuesday, 24 August 2021

BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE DAMSELFLY (Calopteryx virgo) male Abbeyleix Bog, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland


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The Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly (Calopteryx virgo) is of the family Calopterygidae which is in the genus Calopteryx.

Monday, 23 August 2021

BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE DAMSELFLY (Calopteryx virgo) female Abbeyleix Bog, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland


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The Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly (Calopteryx virgo) is of the family Calopterygidae which is in the genus Calopteryx.

Sunday, 22 August 2021

EURASIAN WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus) Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

The Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is of the curlew family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Numenius.

Friday, 20 August 2021

BATMAN HOVERFLY (Myathropa florea) female Curraghchase Forest Park, Co. Limerick, Ireland


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The Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Myathropa. This common species occurs in Europe as well as  parts of North Africia.The flight season is from from mid April to late October. Even darker individuals show the diagnostic "batman logo" shape on the lower half of the  thorax and hence its common name.
 
 
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax) or Tapered Hoverfly male on left and Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) female nectering on Common Blackberry flowers  (Rubus fruticosus).
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  
 
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Thursday, 19 August 2021

FURRY HOVERFLY or FURRY DRONEFLY (Eristalis intricaria) female Curraghchase Forest Park, Co. Limerick, Ireland


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The Furry Hoverfly (Eristalis intricaria) or Furry Dronefly is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Eristalis. This sexually diamorphic ( and have different characteristics) European species is on the wing from April to September. Males in particular need to be separated with care from other hoverfly bumblebee mimics. Id feature; hind legs dark with partially pale tibiae.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  
 
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Wednesday, 18 August 2021

Tuesday, 17 August 2021

RED UNDERWING MOTH (Catocala nupta) on 17-08-2021 attracted to security light Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Red Underwing Moth (Catocala nupta) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Catocala. This is a large macro moth with a wingspan of 80mm and occurs in the temperate regions of the Palearctic. There are less than fifteen Irish records. The first record was from Co. Cork on 16th September 1906. There were no further reports until September 2016 when it was found in Co. Louth. All subsequent reports have been from that county as well as several from Co. Dublin and there is a single record from Co. Meath.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

Sunday, 15 August 2021

MARSHAM'S NOMAD BEE (Nomada marshamella) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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 The Marsham's Nomad Bee (Nomada marshamella) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Nomada. This cuckoo bee is a wasp mimic and is a cleptoparasite of the Chocolate Mining Bee (Andrena scotica) as well as other mining bees in the genus Andrena. The flight season is from April to early September and its food source is pollen.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday, 14 August 2021

TAPERED DRONEFLY or TAPERED HOVERFLY (Eristalis pertinax) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland

 
 
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The Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax) or Tapered Hoverfly is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Eristalis. This hoverfly is commonly found in Europe. It has a long flight season over a number of generations which extends from February to early November and overwinters as an adult. Key identification features include: large size, distinctive genus wing pattern, tapered abdomen, black antennae, yellowish front and middle lower legs (tarsi).

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Wednesday, 11 August 2021

MEADOW SPIDER (Pardosa saltans) female with egg sack Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Meadow Spider (Pardosa saltans) or Meadow Wolf Spider is of the family Lycosidae which is in the genus Pardosa. This is a small dark species but there are a number of similar wolf spiders so it can only be identified with 100% certainty by microscopic examination.

"Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia." Bee, L., Oxford, G., & Smith, H. (2020). Britain's Spiders: A Field Guide. Second Edition. Princeton University Press.

Tuesday, 10 August 2021

HAIRY BINDWEED WILDFLOWER (Calystegia pulchra) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland



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The Hairy Bindweed Wildflower (Calystegia pulchra) is of the family Convolvulaceae which is in the genus Calystegia. This perennial species has large trumpet shaped pink flowers with pale white stripes as well as slightly downy or hairy stems and bracts.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday, 9 August 2021

CARNIVAL CANDY SLIME MOULD (Arcyria denudata) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Carnival Candy Slime Mould (Arcyria denudata) is of the family Arcyriaceae which is in the genus Arcyria. This is a very striking pink species which was formally consider to be a fungus but has now been reclassified as a slime mould. It is found on dead and decaying wood in damp habitats.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday, 8 August 2021

SMALL TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY (Aglais urticae) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Aglais urticae) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Aglais. It has a widespread distribution in the Palearctic region but is absent from southern Asia. The caterpillars (larvae) feed on Common Nettle (Urtica dioica). Overwintering as an adult, its cryptic under wing pattern helps to avoid detection. It emerges from hibernation in late spring to lay eggs on its larval plant.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday, 5 August 2021

BLACK DARTER DRAGONFLY or BLACK MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum danae) female, Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Black Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It occurs in northern Eurasia as well as parts of North America where it is know as Black Meadowhawk Dragonfly. The flight season is from July to September.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday, 3 August 2021

GOAT MOTH (Cossus cossus) caterpillar on 12-08-2020, Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Goat Moth (Cossus cossus) is of the family Cossidae which is in the genus Cossus. This large species occurs in broad leaved woodland across North America and Eurasia. In mid summer when the lava (caterpillar) hatches it bores into a deciduous tree. Having spent up to five year feeding inside the trunk or branch, the fully grown 10cm long larva emerges from the tree during August. It then makes a cocoon among debris on the ground where the pupal stage takes place and remains there until June the following year when it becomes a moth. The flight season, during which the adults don't feed, peaks in June and July. There is a strong musky smell reminiscent of goat from the larva (caterpillar) hence the adults name.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
With thanks to the local lady and her two children who found the caterpillar and pointed it out to me.

Monday, 2 August 2021

FLOWERING RUSH Wild Plant (Butomus umbellatus) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) is of the family Butomaceae which is in the genus Butomus. This perennial rhizomatous wild plant is native to Europe as well as Western Asia and is found as an invasive species in parts of North America. It occurs in aquatic habitats along fresh water lakes, streams and rivers. The flowering season extends from July to late August.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe /Raw Birds

Sunday, 1 August 2021

FOURTEEN SPOT LADYBIRD (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) on STINGING NETTLE (Urtica dioica) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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 Click external link here for detailed Fourteen Spot Ladybird information
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 Click external link here to see identification guide to Irish Ladybirds
 
The Fourteen Spot Ladybird (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) is of the family Coccinellidae which is in the genus Propylea.