MIGRANT HAWKER DRAGONFLY (Aeshna mixta) [Male] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Migrant Hawker Dragonfly (Aeshna mixta) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Aeshna.

TAPERED DRONEFLY / TAPERED HOVERFLY (Eristalis pertinax) female, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, 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

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER DRAGONFLY or FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula quadrimaculata) with prey Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Libellula. It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is also found in North America where it is known as the Four-spotted Skimmer. The flight season is from mid April to early September. 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

PERFORATE St. JOHN'S WORT WILDFLOWER (Hypericum perforatum) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Perforate St. John's Wort Wildflower (Hypericum perforatum) or more commonly known as St. John's Wort is of the family Hypericaceae which is in the genus Hypericum.

HEATHER COLLETES BEE (Colletes succictus) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 

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The Heather Colletes Bee (Colletes succictus) is of the family Colletidae which is in the genus Colletes.

SMALL TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY (Aglais urticae) 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. 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

SILVER Y MOTH (Autographa gamma) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Silver Y Moth (Autographa gamma) is of the family Noctuidae which is in the genus Autographa.

YELLOW DUNG FLY (Scathophaga stercoraria) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 

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The Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) or Golden Dung Fly is of the family Scathophagidae which is in the genus Scathophaga.

MARSH DAMSEL BUG (Nabis limbatus) [Female] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Marsh Damsel Bug (Nabis limbatus) is of the family Nabidae which is in the genus Nabis.

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY (Palomena prasina) on DEVIL'S BIT SCABIOUS WILDFLOWER (Succisa pratensis) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Vanessa.

GREEN SHIELDBUG (Palomena prasina) 3rd instar Nymph, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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Click here to see identification guide to British and Irish Shieldbugs
 

The Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) or Green Stink Bug is of the family Pentatomidae which is in the genus Palomena. Shieldbugs go through five instar stages before becoming adults.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

KNOT GRASS MOTH (Acronicta rumicis) caterpillar Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Knot Grass Moth (Acronicta rumicis) is of the family Noctuidae which is in the genus Acronicta.

THE FOOTBALLER HOVERFLY (Helophilus pendulus) male, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Footballer Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Helophilus.

 

Reference and highly recommended reading:

Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

GOBLET WAXCAP MUSHROOM (Hygrocybe cantharellus) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Goblet Waxcap Mushroom (Hygrocybe cantharellus) or Chanterelle Waxcap is of the family Hygrophoraceae which is in the genus Hygrocybe.

COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum striolatum) [Female] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. This is the commonest dragonfly that occurs throughout Eurasia. In the southern part of its range the flight season is year round. In Britain and Ireland it is on the wing from June to late October. Separate with care from the very similar Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) which has all black legs and a slightly tapered mid abdomen.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

HARVESTMAN (Opilio parietinus) [Male] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Harvestman Opilio parietinus is of the family Phalangiidae which is in the genus Opilio.

COMMON CARDER BUMBLEBEE (Bombus pascuorum) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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  Click here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblesbees

 

The Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) or Common Carder Bee is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.

COMMON HEATH MOTH (Ematurga atomaria) [Male] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Heath Moth (Ematurga atomaria) is of the family Geometridae which is in the genus Ematurga.

EUROPEAN COMMON FROG (Orthetrum cancellatum) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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  The European Common Frog (Rana temporaria) or Common Frog is of the family Ranidae which is in the genus Rana.

BLACK TAILED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Orthetrum cancellatum) [Female] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Black-tailed Skimmer Dragonfly (Orthetrum cancellatum) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Orthetrum.

BRIMSTONE BUTTERFLY (Gonepteryx rhamni) [Female] 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. 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

CRYPTIC WOOD WHITE BUTTERFLY (Leptidea juvernica) on HERB ROBERT WILDFLOWER (Geranium_robertianum) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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Click here for detailed Herb Robert Wildflower information

 

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

The Herb Robert Wildflower (Geranium_robertianum) is of the family Geraniaceae which is in the genus Geranium.

MOTHER SHIPTON MOTH (Callistege mi) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Mother Shipton Moth (Callistege mi) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Callistege.

COMMON STRETCH SPIDER (Tetragnatha extensa) with dismembered AZURE DAMSELFLY (Coenagrion puella) prey Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Stretch Spider (Tetragnatha extensa) is a member of the Long-jawed orb weaver spider family Tetragnathidae which is in the genus Tetragnatha.

COMMON CLOVER SAWFLY (Tenthredo arcuata) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Clover Sawfly (Tenthredo arcuata) is of the family Tenthredinidae which is in the genus Tenthredo. It is on the wing from April to late August over two generations. This pollen eating species is commonly encountered on thistles and umbellifers. The larval food plant is White Clover. 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

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

FLOWER CRAB SPIDER (Misumena vatia) [Female with Blow-fly prey] Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is of the family Thomisidae which is in the genus Misumena. It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe and North America where it is known as Goldenrod Crab Spider or more simply Flower Spider.  

Only the female can change colour normally either from white to yellow or visa versa but this can be a protracted process. The minute black and white male can be a real challenge to locate.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

MARSH CRANEFLY (Tipula oleracea) female infected with Orange Phoretic Mites at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Marsh Cranefly (Tipula oleracea) is of the family Tipulidae which is in the genus Tipula.
 Phoretic mites form a non permanent relationship with their host. This is known as phoresis or phoresy, in which one organism attaches itself to another species solely for the purpose of travel to new habitat and then drop off. In this case the orange phoretic mites have attached themselves to the side of the craneflys thorax. 

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

COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum striolatum) pair copulating Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. This is the commonest dragonfly that occurs throughout Eurasia. In the southern part of its range the flight season is year round. In Britain and Ireland it is on the wing from June to late October. Separate with care from the very similar Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) which has all black legs and a slightly tapered mid abdomen.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLY [Female] (Sympetrum striolatum) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum.