COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY [Female] (Polyommatus icarus) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) is of the family Lycaenidae which is in the genus Polyommatus. This species has a widespread distribution across the Palaearctic region and in 2005 was found as an invasive species in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada where it has continued to extend and colonise new areas. In southern Europe, the flight season is protracted, from early March into November, over a number of generations. In Britain and Ireland, it is on the wing from May to late September, over two generations 
The male has striking blue upper wings and lighter brown and blueish washed under wings compared to the female's brownish upper and under wings although her upper wings can be blueish brown in some populations. Males are very territorial and are constantly in search of receptive females. When the sexes meet, copulation occurs immediately, usually without any courtship ritual. Eggs are laid on the preferred larval food plant Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) or on plants from pea and bean family (Leguminosae). It overwinters as a larva (caterpillar) which emerges from hibernation the following season to continue feeding on its larval plant.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 
 Reference: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_blue

RINGLET BUTTERFLY (Aphantopus hyperantus) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Aphantopus. This species has a widespread distribution in the Palearctic region, but is absent from northern latitudes. The flight season is from mid June to late July, peaking in late June. It overwinters as a larva (caterpillar).

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

CRYPTIC WOOD WHITE BUTTERFLY (Leptidea juvernica) [Pair, courtship display by male on left with extended proboscis] Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Cryptic Wood White Butterfly (Leptidea juvernica) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Leptidea.

COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY [Pair copulating, male on right] (Polyommatus icarus) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) is of the family Lycaenidae which is in the genus Polyommatus. This species has a widespread distribution across the Palaearctic region and in 2005 was found as an invasive species in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada where it has continued to extend and colonise new areas. In southern Europe, the flight season is protracted, from early March into November, over a number of generations. In Britain and Ireland, it is on the wing from May to late September, over two generations 
The male has striking blue upper wings and lighter brown and blueish washed under wings compared to the female's brownish upper and under wings although her upper wings can be blueish brown in some populations. Males are very territorial and are constantly in search of receptive females. When the sexes meet, copulation occurs immediately, usually without any courtship ritual. Eggs are laid on the preferred larval food plant Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) or on plants from pea and bean family (Leguminosae). It overwinters as a larva (caterpillar) which emerges from hibernation the following season to continue feeding on its larval plant.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 
 Reference: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_blue

COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY [Male] (Polyommatus icarus) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) is of the family Lycaenidae which is in the genus Polyommatus. This species has a widespread distribution across the Palaearctic region and in 2005 was found as an invasive species in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada where it has continued to extend and colonise new areas. The female lays eggs on the preferred larval food plant Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) or on plants from pea and bean family (Leguminosae). In southern Europe, the flight season is protracted, from early March into November, over a number of generations. In Britain and Ireland, it is on the wing from May to late September, over two generations. It overwinters as a larva (caterpillar) which emerges from hibernation the following season to continue feeding on its larval plant.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

RINGLET BUTTERFLY (Aphantopus hyperantus) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Aphantopus. This species has a widespread distribution in the Palearctic region, but is absent from northern latitudes. The flight season is from mid June to late July, peaking in late June. It overwinters as a larva (caterpillar).

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

GREEN VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris napi) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Green-veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Pieris. It commonly occurs in Eurasia as well as North America. This species is on the wing from March to October, over several generations, but in Ireland the normal flight season extends from mid April to mid September. It hibernates during the winter as a chrysalis.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

SMALL TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY (Aglais urticae) Lullymore West Bog, IPCC Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, 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

SMALL TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY [Caterpillars] (Aglais urticae) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, 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

SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Speckled Wood Butterfly (Pararge aegeria) is of the family Acanthosomatidae which is in the genus Pararge. This is a very common species and is found throughout the Palearctic region. It occurs in a wide variety of habitats including urban gardens with a preference for shaded areas. Overwintering either as a lava or a pupa enables an extended flight season from April to October.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

BRIMSTONE BUTTERFLY (Gonepteryx rhamni) male, Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) is of the family Pieridae which is in genus Gonepteryx. It occurs in Europe, Asia and parts of northern Africa. The presence of its larval host plants, Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus carthartica) influences its geographic range and distribution. This butterfly can live for up to a year and the flight season is from April to August. It then goes into hibernation and emerges in early spring the following year.
 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

CRYPTIC WOOD WHITE BUTTERFLY (Leptidea juvernica) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Cryptic Wood White Butterfly (Leptidea juvernica) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Leptidea.

MARSH FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY (Euphydryas aurinia) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Marsh Fritillary Butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Euphydryas. It has a wide distribution in the Palearctic region and is protected under Annex II of the European Union Habitats and Species Directive. The gregarious larvae overwinter in a silken web formed at the base of the larval host plant Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis). In mid March they emerge from hibernation and disperse prior to pupation in late April. Three to four weeks later, the adults appear and are on the wing until late June or early July. After mating the female lays batches of up to 300 eggs on the underside of the leaves of the host plant. The larvae hatch in mid June and then form a new silken web from which they feed on the leaves of the host plant before the hibernation period begins.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

DINGY SKIPPER BUTTERFLY (Erynnis tagesi) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Dingy Skipper Butterfly (Erynnis tages) is of the family Hesperiidae which is in the genus Erynnis. It occurs in Europe and most of western Asia. The flight season is normally from late April to early June but in the warmer parts of its range there is a second generation on the wing during July and August.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

GREEN HAIRSTREAK BUTTERFLY (Callophrys rubi) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Green Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophrys rubi) is of the family Lycaenidae which is in the genus Callophrys. This small butterfly has a widespread distribution in Europe, Asia and northern Africa. When seen in flight, with its dull brown upper wings, it can easily be confused with darker coloured species. When not feeding it lands on green foliage always resting with the wings closed, revealing the iridescent green underwing. With this camouflage, it can be surprisingly difficult to spot. The flight season can extend from late March to early August but has a much shorter season in the northern part of its range.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

GREEN VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris napi) nectering on HAWKWEED (Hieracium sp.) Giles Quay, Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth, Ireland

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The Green-veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Pieris. It commonly occurs in Eurasia as well as North America. This species is on the wing from March to October, over several generations, but in Ireland the normal flight season extends from mid April to mid September. It hibernates during the winter as a chrysalis.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

BRIMSTONE BUTTERFLY (Gonepteryx rhamni) [Male] Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 

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The Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) is of the family Pieridae which is in genus Gonepteryx. It occurs in Europe, Asia and parts of northern Africa. The presents of its larval host plants, Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus carthartica) influences its geographic range and distribution. This butterfly can live for up to a year and the flight season is from April to August. It then overwinters as an adult and emerges, after seven months, from hibernation.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

LANG'S SHORT TAILED BLUE BUTTERFLY (Leptotes pirithous) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

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The Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), also known as Common Zebra Blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae which is genus Leptotes. This migratory species occurs in southern Europe, most of Africa including Madagascar and southern Asia.

CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY [Male] (Gonepteryx cleopatra subspecies G. c. balearica) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

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The Cleopatra Butterfly (Gonepteryx cleopatra) or simply called Cleopatra is a medium sized butterfly of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Gonepteryx. It occurs in Southern Europe, Northwest Africa as well as Turkey and parts of the Middle East. In Europe, this long lived species is on the wing from April to August. There are 10 subspecies recognised and the subspecies Gonepteryx cleopatra balearica is endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

The Cleopatra Butterfly is divided into the following subspecies:

•     Gonepteryx cleopatra cleopatra  – North Africa, Portugal, Spain, Sicily
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra balearica  – Balearic Islands
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra petronella  – Ibiza
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra italica  – Italy, France, Corsica,  Sardinia
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra dalmatica  – Dalmatian coast, western Balkans
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra citrina  – southern Greece
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra insularis  – Crete
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra fiorii  – Rhodes
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra taurica  – Anatolia, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Cyprus
•     Gonepteryx cleopatra palmata  – Cyrenaica, Libya

 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonepteryx_cleopatra

CLOUDED YELLOW BUTTERFLY (Colias croceus) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

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The Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) is a migratory butterfly of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Colias. It is one of the most-widespread species in Europe. The breeding range extends from North Africa and southern Europe eastwards through Turkey into the Middle East. It occurs throughout the rest of Europe as a summer migrant, in good years individuals reaching Scandinavia. In Asia, its range extends into central Siberia in the north and into India in the south but it is absent from Central Asia.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colias_croceus