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

Showing posts with label Lullymore West Bog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lullymore West Bog. Show all posts

Saturday 23 April 2022

RED TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus lapidarius) queen nectaring on Hawkweed wildflower species (Hieracium sp.) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed Red-tailed Bumblebee information
Click external link here for detailed Hawkweed Wildflower information
 
Click here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblesbees
 
The Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.
The Hawkweed Wildflower species (Hieracium sp.) is of the family Asteraceae which is in the genus Hieracium.

Friday 22 April 2022

PEACOCK BUTTERFLY (Aglais io) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Aglais. It overwinters as an adult with its wings closed and the dark cryptic under wing pattern help it avoid detection by predators.
 
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday 17 March 2022

SMALL TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY (Aglais urticae) freshly emerged from hibernation, a minimum of 8 were present at Lullymore West Bog, 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.  
 Overwintering as an adult, its cryptic under wing pattern helps to avoid detection by predators. It emerges from hibernation in the spring to lay eggs on its larval plant. The caterpillars (larvae) feed on Common Nettle (Urtica dioica).

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 15 March 2022

BRIMSTONE BUTTERFLY (Gonepteryx rhamni subspecies G. r. gravesi) male at Lullymore West Bog, 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. 
The Irish Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni subspecies G. r. gravesi) is endemic to Ireland. This hardy species can live for up to a year. There are two flight seasons, March to mid June and July to mid September. It then goes into hibernation and emerges in early spring the following year.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference and very highly recommended reading:
The Irish Butterfly Book available directly from the author Jesmond M. Harding ISBN 978-0-9560546-1-6 

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
 Click external link here for detailed Stinging Nettle information
 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.

Thursday 29 July 2021

LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY or LARGE CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris brassicae) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 
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The Large White Butterfly (Pieris brassicae) or Large Cabbage White Butterfly is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Pieris. It occurs very commonly through out Eurasia and North Africa as well as an introduced species in South Africa. Although larger, it can be confused with the Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae) which has a much reduced black edge to the upper forewing.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 28 July 2021

KEELED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Orthetrum coerulescens) male Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly (Orthetrum coerulescens) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Orthetrum.

Tuesday 27 July 2021

KEELED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Orthetrum coerulescens) female Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly (Orthetrum coerulescens) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Orthetrum.

Monday 26 July 2021

Friday 23 July 2021

SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria) Lullymore West Bog, 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

Tuesday 20 July 2021

COMMON BLUE DAMSELFLY (Enallagma cyathigerum) immature male Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) is of the family Coenagrionidae which is in the genus Enallagma. The flight season is from early May to early September.

Monday 19 July 2021

AZURE DAMSELFLY (Coenagrion puella) male Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) is of the family Coenagrionidae which is in the genus Coenagrion. It is the most abundant bluet in Europe and also occurs in parts of northern Africa and western Asia. It is absent from northern latitudes and from eastern Iberia. The flight period is from April to September, peaking in June and July.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 17 July 2021

FOUR BANDED LONGHORN BEETLE (Leptura quadrifasciata) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link  here to see distribution map for Ireland

The Four Banded Longhorn Beetle (Leptura quadrifasciata) is of the family Cerambycidae which is in the genus Leptura. It occurs throughout the northern and central Palearctic region. In Britain it has a wide spread but local distribution. Based on published reports, it is an uncommon and very local species in Ireland and has only been recorded from fifteen locations.
The wood boring larvae feed on dead and decaying trees. The pollen eating adults feed on a variety of plants including umbellifers. The life cycle lasts 2 or 3 years but the adults are short lived which might account for the lack of records.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 
 Reference:
  https://maps.biodiversityireland.ie/Species/75569

Friday 16 July 2021

SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY (Argynnis paphia) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, 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

Thursday 15 July 2021

FLOWER CRAB SPIDER (Misumena vatia) female waiting to ambush a HEATHER COLLETES BEE (Colletes succictus) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


 


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Flower Crab Spider information
Click external link here for detailed Heather Colletes Bee information
 
The Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is of the family Thomisidae which is in the genus Misumena.
The Heather Colletes Bee (Colletes succictus) is of the family Colletidae which is in the genus Colletes.

Sunday 11 July 2021

CINNABAR MOTH (Tyria jacobaeae) displaying Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Tyria. This striking day flying macro moth occurs in Europe and western Asia. It is also found in North America, Australia and New Zealand as an introduced species. The larval food plant is Common Ragwort (Senecio Jacobea) and flight season peaks in June and July.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 10 July 2021

GREEN LONGHORN MOTH (Adela reaumurella) female on 11th May 2021, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Green Longhorn Moth (Adela reaumurella) is of the family Adelidae which is in the genus Adela. In the Palearctic Region, it has a scattered distribution but it can be locally common. In Ireland, there are less than 50 records which probably doesn't reflect its true status. This day flying micro moth is on the wing from April to June. The larva (caterpillar) feeds on leaf litter and overwinters as a pupa (chrysalis).
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds