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

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

Sunday 25 July 2021

COMMON CENTAURY WILDFLOWER or EUROPEAN CENTAURY WILDFLOWER (Centaurium erythraea) white form, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Common Centaury Wildflower or European Centaury Wildflower (Centaurium erythraea) is of the family Gentianaceae which is in the genus Centaurium.

Saturday 24 July 2021

COMMON CENTAURY WILDFLOWER or EUROPEAN CENTAURY WILDFLOWER (Centaurium erythraea) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Common Centaury Wildflower or European Centaury Wildflower (Centaurium erythraea) is of the family Gentianaceae which is in the genus Centaurium.

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

Thursday 22 July 2021

Wednesday 21 July 2021

COMMON MILKWORTH WILDFLOWER (Polygala vulgaris) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Common Milkworth Wildflower (Polygala vulgaris) is of the family  Polygalaceae which is in the genus Polygala.

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 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

Friday 9 July 2021

EMPEROR DRAGONFLY (Anax imperator) male Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 
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The Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) or Blue Emperor Dragonfly is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Anax. This large and powerful species is a voracious predator of other flying insects. Prey items including medium sized dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and other flying invertebrates are captured on the wing but it tends to avoid predating bees, wasps and hard shelled flying insects such as beetles. Probably as a result of climate change, in the last 20 years or so it has greatly expanded its range north ward. Now relatively common throughout the Western Palearctic, excluding Iceland and the vast majority of Scandinavia. In the Eastern Atlantic it occurs on all the Macaronesian Islands. The first report for Ireland was from Co. Wexford in August 2000.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday 8 July 2021

GREEN SHIELDBUG (Palomena prasina) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


 
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Click external link 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. In spring, separate with care from the Gorse Shieldbug (Piezodorus lituratus) which has fully red antennae compared to this species where only the two outer segments of the antennae are red .

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday 2 July 2021

GORSE SHIELDBUG (Piezodorus lituratus) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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Click external link here to see identification guide to British and Irish Shieldbugs
 
The Gorse Shieldbug (Piezodorus lituratus) is of the family Pentatomidae which is in the genus Piezodorus.This species is found in most of the temperate regions of North America, Europe, Northern Asia and parts of Africa. It mainly occurs on Common Gorse (ulex europeaus), Common Broom (Sarothamnus scoparius) as well as various legumes (Fabaceae). There are two colour forms, green when it emerges from hibernation in late spring, having overwintered as an adult. The next generation appear in summer and following five instar stages, become green adults with purple red bar markings on the upper parts. In spring, its fully red antennae help separate from the very similar Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) which has partially red antennae.   
 
Patrick J. O;Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 28 June 2021

VIVIPAROUS LIZARD or COMMON LIZARD (Zootoca vivipara) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) or Common Lizard is of the family Lacertidae which is in the genus Zootoca. This viviparous reptile gives birth to live young, which is an adaptation that enables it to breed in colder regions where it hibernates for the winter. In the warmer parts of its range, it is oviparous or egg laying like other species of lizards and is active year round.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Distribution map of Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Vivaprous_lizard_range.png

Thursday 24 June 2021

Sunday 20 June 2021

Thursday 17 June 2021

GREEN VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris napi) nectaring on Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) at Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, 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

Monday 14 June 2021

COMMON SNOUT HOVERFLY (Rhingia campestris) female, Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Common Snout Hoverfly (Rhingia campestris) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Rhingia. It commonly occurs in the Palaearctic region. The flight season is from late March to mid November and there are two generations. This is a very striking species with a long snout and its larvae are found in dung or silage.

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

Sunday 13 June 2021

CRYPTIC WOOD WHITE BUTTERFLY (Leptidea juvernica) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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

Saturday 12 June 2021

LARGE RED DAMSELFLY (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) male Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, 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

Friday 11 June 2021

Thursday 10 June 2021

COMMON BANDED HOVERFLY or HUMMING SYRPHUS HOVERFLY (Syrphus ribesii) female, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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 Click external link here to see a Beginners Guide to Irish Hoverflies 
 
The Common Banded Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii) or Humming Syrphus Hoverfly is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Syrphus. This is a common and widespread species which is found throughout the temperate regions of the Holarctic. Separate with care from Syrphus vitripennis and Syrphus torvus which are almost identical in appearance. 
 
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 9 June 2021

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER DRAGONFLY or FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula quadrimaculata) 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