BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) queen nectar robbing from a Granny's Bonnet / Columbine Plant (Aquilegia ssp.) at Saint Anne's Park and Rose Gardens, Clontarf East, Raheny, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus. This species is commonly found throughout the temperate regions of Europe, The Middle East, northern Africa and has been introduced to other countries including Australia (Tasmania), Japan as well as parts of South America. 

It is not normally seen in Ireland during the colder months of the year. In late autumn the worker bees and the males (drones) die off and the gravid queen hibernates for the winter. In recent times, it has been on the wing all year round mainly at coastal locations where shrubs such as Hebe (Hebe × franciscana), Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica) have continued to flower in mild winters.

Aquilegias produce their nectar in spurs which project from the rear of the flower head and are pollinated by long tonged insects, including hawkmoths. Short tonged insects, such as bumblebees, use a method known as nectar robbing and penetrate or cut into the plant's spurs to extract this rich food source. As a results no pollination takes place. In North America aquilegias are also pollinated by hummingbirds.  

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EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL or GREY SQUIRREL (Sciurus carolinensis) munching on a Common Earthworm (Slumbricus terrestris) at Saint Anne's Park and Rose Gardens, Clontarf East, Raheny, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) or more commonly known as a Grey Squirrel in Europe, is of the family Sciuridae which is in the genus Sciurus. This species of tree squirrel is native to the eastern half of the USA as well as to parts of central and southeastern Canada. 

It has been deliberately introduced elsewhere in North America as well as to other countries, including Britain (1870's) and Ireland (1911). It now commonly occurs throughout most of Britain. In Ireland, its range is restricted to the eastern half of the island but is now in decline due to the increase in the European Pine Martin (Martes martes) population, which is its main predator.

  

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MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos) male at Saint Anne's Park and Rose Gardens, Clontarf East, Raheny, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Anas. This dabbling duck is native to North America, Eurasia and parts of North Africa. It has also been widely introduced to a number of other countries either as a game bird or as ornamental wildfowl in parks.

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ORCHID BEETLE (Dascillus cervinus) at Saint Anne's Park and Rose Gardens, Clontarf East, Raheny, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Click external link here to see a list of beetles found in Ireland 

 The Orchid Beetle (Dascillus cervinus) is of the family Dascillidae which is in the genus Dascillus.

GREEN VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris napi) at Saint Anne's Park and Rose Gardens, Clontarf East, Raheny, Co. Dublin, 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 overwinters as a chrysalis.

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LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY or LARGE CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris brassicae) nectaring on a Dandalion (Taraxacum Officinale agg.) at Ardgillan Demense, Balbriggan, Fingal, Co. Dublin, 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.

 

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BLOTCH WINGED HOVERFLY (Leucozoba lucorum) male at Ardgillan Demense, Balbriggan, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Blotch winged Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Helophilus. This is a very distinctive species that mimics the Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum). Orange hairs on the thorax and an orange yellow scutellum are among the features that help separate it from Volucella hoverflies. In Ireland the normal flight season extends from May to August.

 

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Reference and highly recommended reading:

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

SCARLET LILLY BEETLE (Lilioceris lilii) at Ardgillan Demense, Balbriggan, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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  The Scarlet Lilly Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) is of the family Chrysomelidae which is in the genus Lilioceris. It is native to parts of mainland Europe as well as Asia and occurs as an invasive species/ horticultural pest in many other countries. This leaf beetle overwinters as an adult and in late spring emerges to lay its eggs, in small clusters, on lillies and fritillaries. Subsequently both adults and larvae can cause extensive damage feeding on all parts of these plants. In Britain it was first recorded in 1839 and is now widespread. There were no reports from Ireland until 2001 and it has since been reported from a number of counties.

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RED MASON BEE (Osmia bicornis) on Green Alkanet Wildflower (Pentaglottis sempervirens) at Ardgillan Demense, Balbriggan, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis) on Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) and infected with Phoretic Mites

Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis)  infected with a large cluster of  Phoretic Mites

 

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The Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis) is of the family Megachilidae which is in the genus Osmia. This solitary bee commonly occurs in Europe, including Britain. It was first reported from Ireland in 2003 and has become widespread in the eastern region. The flight season extends from April into June.

  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 phoretic mites have attached themselves to the bees thorax.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

 

References and highly recommended reading:

https://irishnaturalist.com/bees/red-mason-bee-osmia-bicornis/ 

Field guide to the Bees of Great Britain And Ireland by Stephen Falk and illustrated by Richard Lewington

BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla)[from 3rd to 8th May 2022] in 1st summer/ 2nd calandar year plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is of the gull family Laridae which is in the genus Rissa. The only other member of the genus Rissa is the Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) where less than 200,000 pairs breed on some of the Bering Sea Islands between Russia and Alaska,USA.

 

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LITTLE GULL (Hydrocoloeus minutus) [from 1st to 6th May 2022] in 1st summer/ 2nd calendar year plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) in 1st summer/ 2nd calendar year plumage.

        

 Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) on the left and Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus), both in 1st summer/ 2nd calendar year plumage.

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The Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Hydrocoloeus.

GADWALL (Mareca strepera) female at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Gadwall (Mareca strepera) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Mareca.

GADWALL (Mareca strepera) male at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Gadwall (Mareca strepera) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Mareca.

GADWALL (Mareca strepera) pair at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Gadwall (Mareca strepera) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Mareca.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecies L .l. islandica) immature at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Limosa. This large, long-legged and long-billed shorebird's breeding range extends from Iceland through central Europe as well as central and northeastern Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, Mediterranean Basin, sub Saharan Africa, southern Asia and parts of coastal Australia. The species breeds in fens, damp meadows, moorlands and bogs. In the winter, it occurs on estuaries, lake shores, and in damp coastal fields.

 

There are three subspecies recognised:

• Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa islandica) 

• European Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa limosa) 

• Asian Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa melanuroides)

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) distribution map

 

Yellow breeding     Blue wintering     Green breeding resident

 

J. Schroeder, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecies L .l. islandica) adult in transition to breeding plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Limosa. This large, long-legged and long-billed shorebird's breeding range extends from Iceland through central Europe as well as central and northeastern Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, Mediterranean Basin, sub Saharan Africa, southern Asia and parts of coastal Australia. The species breeds in fens, damp meadows, moorlands and bogs. In the winter, it occurs on estuaries, lake shores, and in damp coastal fields. 

 

There are three subspecies recognised:

• Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa islandica) 

• European Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa limosa) 

• Asian Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa melanuroides)

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) distribution map

 

Yellow breeding     Blue wintering     Green breeding resident

 

J. Schroeder, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

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.

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

ORANGE TIP BUTTERFLY (Anthocharis cardamines) a male nectering on Bluebell flowers (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Orange-tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Anthocharis. This common and widespread species is on the wing from early May to late June. The larval food plant is Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis) which is also known as Lady's Smock. It overwinters as a chrysalis.

 

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COMMON SANDPIPER (Actitis hypoleucos) at Broadmeadow Estuary, Malahide, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) is a small shorebird or wader in the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Actitis. This Eurasian species is a summer resident that returns from its wintering areas in April. It breeds around fresh water lakes and has a scattered distribution that extends from the Atlantic coast of Europe to Eastern Asia. Unlike most other shorebirds or waders seen on passage, it does not occur in flocks, single individuals are normally encountered. It migrates south in late Summer to spend the winter in Africa, southern Asia and Australia. Small numbers over winter in western and southern Europe. 

The Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) is an almost identical species that is a summer resident in North America which winters in South America and to a lesser extent in parts of southern USA. It is a rare but annual vagrant in Europe. Remarkably in 1975, a pair attempted to breed on the Isle of Sky in Scotland but alas the eggs failed to hatch.
 

  Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

ROCK PIPIT (Anthus petrosus) at Balscadden Beach, Howth, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) is of the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Anthus.