Butterfly Conservation Ireland

Corfu is reputed to hold high biodiversity, including butterfly populations. Armed with advice from Ionian Butterfly Conservation and the Field Guide Corfu produced by the European Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, we decided to see this for ourselves. We were not disappointed.

Corfu sits in the Ionian Sea, just 2km from Albania and about 10km from the Greek mainland. It is about 593 square km in area, c.57km in length, and about 28km in width at its widest point. The north is especially well wooded, with about 36% of the island under tree cover, although much of it consists of Olive plantations, mostly hundreds of years old. The economy is mainly reliant on tourism, but olive oil production is also important. Central and southern Corfu are the main agricultural areas. The island has about 101,000 residents, most of whom speak English. Corfu town holds about 40% of the population. Corfu has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild winters when most rainfall occurs. The island is remarkably green, a feature striking for those familiar with the Mediterranean region in summer.

We visited from June 2 to June 13, and daytime maximum temperatures were typically 25-27 Celsius, with night temperatures about four Celsius lower. We focused mostly on the northern areas, which we heard were rich in butterfly populations. We were not disappointed!

The best areas for butterflies were the open flower-rich edges and clearings in scrub, woodland, and olive groves, and along the tracks through these wooded areas. The soils are calcareous, and the clay soils, especially notable along the coast at Agios Georgios Pagon in NW Corfu, appear to retain moisture. In NE Corfu, near and around Mount Pantokrator, the terrain is rocky. It contains a mixture of bare and sparsely vegetated ground, native woodland, grassland and scrub known as Maquis, the term used to describe evergreen scrub in the Mediterranean basin. Common scrub species include Strawberry tree Arbutus unedo, Lentisk Pistacia lentiscus, Myrtle Myrtus communis, Holly Oak Quercus coccifera and buckthorns such as Mediterranean Buckthorn Rhamnus alaternus and Jerusalem Thorn / Christ’s Thorn Paliurus spina-christi.

Grassy areas along roadsides were also rich in butterflies. In some areas, the populations were so large that people gazed at the spectacle. This included areas in coastal villages, where Cleopatra butterflies mixed with Large and Small Whites, Painted Ladies and Southern White Admirals to feed on garden flowers, especially the non-native reddish-purple climbing plant Bougainvillaea.

The various trails through the landscape, especially the donkey trails, were very rich in butterflies. We walked part of the donkey path from Makrades village toward the coast. Limestone cliffs edge part of this walk, with interesting flora in the narrow strip between the cliff and path, excellent for butterflies. We found the umbelliferous plant Scaligeria napiformis, a foodplant for the extremely range-limited rare butterfly used as the symbol for Butterfly Conservation Corfu, the Southern Swallowtail Papilio alexanor, the only European butterfly that roosts with wings fully extended.

We found the caterpillars, black, white and orange, busy chewing on the seeds of the foodplant. When disturbed, it raises a fleshy, yellow organ from the first segment behind the head, producing a fluid that stinks of rotten pineapple. Presumably, this deters birds. Later in our stay, I found the caterpillars on Giant Fennel Ferula communis at sea level near the coast near Ipsos/Ypsos, NE Corfu. In Europe, it occurs only in small areas of SE France, NW Italy, W Croatia, parts of Greece, usually in mountains, Albania and the Republic of Macedonia, and its occurrence within these areas is local and sporadic.

Corfu has four papilionid (swallowtails, festoons and apollos) butterflies, three swallowtails and the Eastern Festoon. The swallowtails present are Common Swallowtail Papilio machaon, Southern Swallowtail Papilio alexanor and Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides podalirius. In Greek mythology, Machaon and Podalirius were sons of Asclepius, while Alexanor was a son of Machaon. Given their legendary roles as Greek deities, these butterflies should occur in Greece. All are stunning, floating in warm breezes with insolent ease. They are swift in flight, often fluttering teasingly close only to vanish when the fancy takes them. All these large, showy butterflies usually feed by fluttering over their flowers, standing on them on tiptoes, their heft too great for most flowers to support them.

We caught glimpses of the Scarce and Common Swallowtails, but neither was numerous during our visit. Neither needs habitats of special character and can turn up anywhere, from wild hill-tops to gardens. The only chance of getting that good photograph is to find one early in the day, when they perch in warm, sunny places to heat their flight muscles for the day’s activities.

We found several species we have in Ireland, with the Brimstone (uncommon, but likely we were early in the flight period), Clouded Yellow, Wood White, Large and Small White (abundant, widespread), Small Copper (low numbers), Common Blue (abundant), Holly Blue (widespread but not numerous), Red Admiral (occasional), Painted Lady (widespread, numerous), Silver-washed Fritillary (widespread but not numerous), Speckled Wood (widespread but not numerous), Wall and Meadow Brown (widespread and abundant), Small Heath (in low numbers on short grassland), and Small Skipper (widespread but not numerous). The others we share with Corfu that we didn’t see, such as Comma and Peacock, might have been in the immature (non-adult) stage.

Overall, Corfu has 76 butterfly species; we saw 38, possibly 40 (Long-tailed Blue and Green-veined White might have been seen). We missed the spring flying species (April appears to be the key month).

It was wonderful to see ‘new’ species, like the Southern White Admiral, a graceful flyer that occurs in areas with trees, shrubs and hedges, including gardens. Males are notably smaller and patrol their habitats using regular flight paths and perch points. The smart deep black and starched white uppersides contrast with equally smart brick-red and white underwings. The most exciting finds were three grayling species, Delattin’s Grayling, which looks very like our Grayling, Great Banded Grayling and Eastern Rock Grayling, the latter two large and dramatic in flight, and equally happy in hot, dry woodland with clearings and open scrub and even hot, rocky places with low, scattered scrub.

The stunning Cleopatra butterfly/Mediterranean Brimstone was seen everywhere, from beaches to gardens, roadsides and rocky mountain slopes. Males are straightforward to identify; they have sulphur uppersides sporting a deep orange forewing flush. Females are much trickier. I saw many large females with whitish-yellowish uppersides (normal form), very similar to the female Brimstone with which it is easily confused. However, some females, especially in SE Europe, including Corfu, have pale yellow uppersides and even the deeper sulphur uppersides, like the male Brimstone. We saw all three colour forms, and it took me a couple of days to be sure about what I was looking at. The Cleopatras were absorbed in feeding up for ‘winter’. It hibernates from the end of August, reappearing in February, although it probably breaks hibernation to feed after August. It was obvious that the heat in more exposed areas, even during late morning, was quite extreme, as individual Cleopatras and Brimstones frequently entered bushes to seek the coolness of shade.

The butterfly that shocks the spirit is the Two-tailed Pasha. Large, showy and fearless, it is impossible to be unimpressed by this powerhouse. My first glimpse of the butterfly was obtained while driving to Agios Georgios in NW Corfu on our first morning, when a hot pursuit over the road was sighted. A head-turner, this swift butterfly would be impossible to approach if it so chose, but it is so fearless that it allows you to eyeball it. It looks weirdly shark-like in outline, and its dark eyes have an opaqueness that allows no insight. It returns human gaze with dark, unreflecting eyes, suddenly surging into the skies to attack an intruding male. Step away from his launch site and this Exocet invariably returns to its post, bristling with aggression.

It breeds on the Strawberry Tree in open areas, and it likes maquis habitat on hillsides. Double-brooded, it is a tropical species restricted to the southern edges of Europe, usually near the sea. Seeing this species fulfilled the dream of a lifetime.

Another lovely butterfly we saw, and in great numbers, is the Balkan Marbled White (BMW). Despite being numerous (we saw around 200 in and near Old Perithia), it is geographically restricted, found only in SE Europe (also in Turkey, Transcaucasia and N Iran). The lovely black and off-white marbling patterning is classy and striking in an understated way. Like many butterflies, it was strongly attracted to scabious flowers, especially Sweet Scabious Scabiosa atropurpurea. Newly hatched BMWs are easy to observe and photograph. After a few hours, males become active, feeding and mate-seeking during sunshine, settling quickly in overcast weather. This response to cloudiness was noted in all the butterflies we observed.

Another interesting butterfly is the Lattice Brown. It is large, about the size of the Red Admiral, and quite skulking. It rarely appears in the open, fluttering in shady scrub, Bracken and trees, where males scour the branches, doing circuits of the tree limbs, presumably looking for love or egg-sites (it lays on trees). It is extremely hard to approach, and the dull light of the woodland does nothing to conceal the human approach. This orange and brown phantom of the forest is agile and ghostly, a spirit that melts into the earthy tones of hot shade. It is confined, in Europe, to the SE.

Large, Small, Mallow and Lulworth Skippers were widespread, with the Lulworth Skipper particularly abundant. Another eye-catching butterfly is the Spotted Fritillary, especially the orange-red males. This is probably the commonest fritillary in Europe. We also spotted the Southern Comma; brighter and paler than the Comma, it likes basking on rock and breeds on Pellitory-of-the-wall.

Butterflies were found elsewhere, but special hotspots are Old Perithia, a beautiful 14th-century village in a breathtaking setting, the areas immediately inland of Agios Georgios, accessed by tracks through olive groves and the donkey path from Makrades.

Looking at the abundance and at how widespread the Corfiot butterflies are, one worries more about the state of Ireland’s species. However, there are some concerns. Some olive growers use herbicides under the trees, eliminating important grasses and flowers for nature. This was unsightly and destructive, and no butterflies were observed in poisoned areas. Many olive groves were not poisoned, and these are great for insects. Like many residential areas in the Mediterranean region, garden flowers are grown instead of natives, but gardens are not extensive enough for this to be a major problem.

The scenery throughout the northern half of the island is simply spectacular. This might be true of the South, too. People are helpful and friendly, and the food is excellent with options everywhere in towns, villages and on seafronts. The roads are often narrow, and upland roads contain many sharp bends, so slow, cautious driving is essential. The island is green, despite the Mediterranean heat and dryness, quite different to nearby mainland Greece and Albania. No wonder Gerald Durrell called it ‘The garden of the gods.’

A special thanks to Chris from Ionian Butterfly Conservation for his help in identifying a couple of difficult species. Ionian Butterfly Conservation runs a recording scheme and would love to receive your records. You can learn more at https://ionianbutterflyconservation.org/index.php

All photographs copyright J. Harding

The rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly, Ireland’s only legally protected insect, ranked Vulnerable on Ireland’s Butterfly Red List, continues to thrive at Lullybeg Reserve. Butterfly Conservation Ireland members monitor butterfly populations on the reserve. One of our members, Pat Wyse, counted 24 adults along the transect route through part of the reserve, with more uncounted off the transect. Only butterflies along the fixed route are counted according to the methodology; butterflies 2.5 metres either side and five metres ahead and above the walker are recorded.

Lullybeg is managed for butterflies, with grazing, scrub control, and soil disturbance applied to selected areas to benefit all butterflies present in the reserve.

The sight of beautiful adult Marsh Fritillaries on the wing in May and June is a reward for the hard work of our supporters and members, and an incentive to continue our stewardship.

The Marsh Fritillary continues to thrive in Lullybeg, but for how much longer? Listen to the interview with RTE’s Philip Boucher Hayes conducted on Lullybeg Reserve on 26th of May (from 38 minutes to the close): https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/countrywide/episodes/11799226/

Thanks to everyone involved in the reserve’s management. Enjoy the photographs.

 

Irish weather is the proverbial box of chocolates, but we got the choicest confectionery for our well-attended event today. Not too hot, dry, sunny, gentle breeze…perfection.

The next question is, what will we see? Will the poor weather in previous weeks limit the variety on offer?

It limited the number of butterflies we could expect in good weather in late May, but not the diversity. Dingy Skipper, Cryptic Wood White, Green-veined White, Orange-tip (adults and caterpillars), and a large Brimstone population, including females giving a close view of laying on Alder Buckthorn, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and around 30 Marsh Fritillaries,  very active, chasing one another, chasing Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies (reckless, misguided and potentially fatal behaviour!).

Moths abounded, with Burnet Companion, Common Heath, Mother Shipton, Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth, Pyrausta despicata and a nice rarity, Small Chocolate-tip.

Dragonflies were everywhere, especially Four-spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly, Large Red Damselfly, Variable Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

The habitats were in good condition after our grazing, scrub-cutting, and calibrated soil disturbance, creating a diversity of sward heights and ground conditions. All we need for the reserve’s butterflies and moths to take advantage of these conditions is the right weather.

It was reassuring to see several frogs of a range of ages, so our wetlands are likely to be in a good state.

It is wonderful to see so much nature in beautiful, unspoilt, quiet habitats. All wild things need a good home, and they have it in Lullybeg…for the moment.

The other really satisfying part of the day was enjoying this beauty with lovely people who appreciated the experience of our special nature and special places. Everyone took great interest in the activities taking place, and hopefully took lovely photographs. A couple of butterflies sat on human arms and hands, a lovely intimacy with the airborne gems of our boggy places.

One Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly, netted to give everyone a nice view, sat on an arm when released, re-orientating itself after its brief captivity. Its beauty was amplified when the gothic tracery of its wings was cast as a shadow on bright skin. Close observation and gentleness reward us with beautiful memories.

Nature and our enjoyment and experience of it confer so many advantages: spiritual, aesthetic, physical, and a sense of community. Long live Lullybeg.

We had a leisurely walk, for only by close observation will nature be appreciated.

Thanks are due to everyone who joined our event today. Enjoyment is more profound when shared.

Reference

Allen, D., O’Donnell, M., Nelson, B., Tyner, A., Bond, K.G.M., Bryant, T., Crory, A., Mellon, C., O’Boyle, J., O’Donnell, E., Rolston, T., Sheppard, R., Strickland, P., Fitzpatrick, U., & Regan, E. (2016) Ireland Red List No. 9: Macro-moths (Lepidoptera). National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin, Ireland.

 

The Irish weather seems to enjoy turning nasty on weekends. Ask anyone working all week indoors when the sun is shining.

The forecast for Saturday promised nothing useful to our butterfly expedition to two Burren localities: Fahee North in the morning, and Burren National Park after lunch.

Cool, grey and windy spelt no butterfly action, but our lovely group were determined to enjoy the rich habitats on show. We did see the key larval foodplants for rarities like the Marsh Fritillary, impressive ant-hills sporting Wild Thyme holding fat, well-nourished Transparent moth larvae. It should be a good June for the striking adult moths. The grassland on the site we walked is managed by organic farmer Hugh Robson, who kindly allowed us access.  Carefully grazed and scrub-controlled, this site is superb for butterflies, holding all four fritillaries, two blues, Brown Hairstreak, Small Copper, all the Burren’s brown butterflies, all the Burren’s whites, and the expected Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Red Admiral and Painted Lady.

Adjoining is a very different habitat: open scrub on shattered limestone pavement grazed heavily by horses, creating ideal conditions for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Dingy Skipper. Just as we were leaving, the sun entered, as did the Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Wood White. I missed the latter, but photos were taken and produced in evidence!

A drive, a bite of lunch and part II began with a visit to the Burren National Park. We walked the Orange Route, which takes you through Limestone grassland, scrub, Knockaunroe Turlough, Ash/Hazel Woodland and finally to a lovely area of warm, dry grassland dominated by ant hills. The sun shone most of the time and made for a very rewarding experience.  A couple of over-the-hill Brimstones hoved into view and into my net when we held our collective breaths in admiration of a butterfly already 8-9 months old and still feisty.

One of her children was found on a Purging Buckthorn near the turlough. This little green caterpillar was lined up along the leaf midrib, blending greenly with the fresh, gleaming emerald of the foliage.

The scrub at this point is unusually rich, with abundant buckthorns, Hazel, Ash, Guelder-rose,  Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Shrubby Cinquefoil. For the record, the turlough was dry. The area is warm and sheltered and heavily favoured by Wood Whites.

This delicate creature occurs only on exposed Carboniferous limestone in Ireland, making it one of our rarest butterflies. It is currently known from just 24 10km squares, 2.35% of Ireland’s 10km squares.

Dingy Skipper and Burnet Companion waited for us in the ant hill grassland. They darted in the sunshine, in a warm, quiet place that invites you to linger. Looking at this area, it is notable for the small-scale diversity now so often absent from our landscapes. Ant hills, short, medium-height and tall vegetation, low bushes, tall scrub, and woodland in the vicinity provide niches for a great range of plants and invertebrates, including some cheeky grasshopper nymphs.

Just as our time was drawing to a close, a White-spotted Sable sparkled in the May sunshine. Perhaps summer will be good to us.

Sunday dawned wet, brooding and chilly. Our walk was planned for Clooncoose Valley, and we started the walk in cold rain more typical of February than May. Luckily, the valley is sheltered, and the track heats even in weak sunshine. We saw a solitary Speckled Yellow moth, surely one of our prettiest day-flying moths. We discussed butterfly ancestry, genetics and the history of butterfly recording during a dry period. We looked at important breeding plants, including Common Dog-violet, until very heavy rain precipitated a retreat to prepared positions.

Warm cars awaited, thankfully! However, despite the deluge, we had a lovely time and hopefully learned lots. Thanks to Brian Nally and the team at Burrenbeo Trust, and to everyone who travelled to these well-attended events. I certainly enjoyed the company and sharing time with people who appreciate nature and the Burren.

Our next event is a walk in Lullymore and Lullybeg on Saturday, 23rd May.

All photographs copyright Jesmond Harding

 

One of the benefits of having a grown-up family is that, occasionally, a marriage is celebrated in a foreign clime, allowing one to seek unfamiliar butterflies or see how familiar butterflies behave elsewhere.

Rome is an oft-visited city, with 22.9 million visitors from January to December 2025, of whom 12 million were from outside Italy (Turismo Roma, 2026). Rome also holds over 2.7 million residents (City Population Data, 2026)

The city’s architectural, archaeological and historical importance draws vast crowds, and the city is extremely busy, noisy and frenetic, certainly not a location associated with nature or relaxation.

The public parks in central Rome are bland, with tall pines, probably Black Pine Pinus nigra, plane trees Platanus spp., Judas Tree Cercis siliquastrum, ornamental flowers and short grass, although in some areas where left uncut, native wildflowers are present, especially vetches and mallows Malva spp.

A far better option for anyone looking for nature is Parco della Caffarella, a large green area adjoining Rome (latitude 41.862697, longitude 12.520535).

The park lies about three miles from the Colosseum, about 15 minutes by car. It is walkable from the Colosseum, being on flat ground.

The park has open grassland, scrub, woodland and a small river, the Almone River. Some areas contain an intimate mixture of woodland, scrub and flower-rich grassland, and the warm, sheltered open areas were the best areas for butterflies, moths, bees and grasshoppers.

During my visit in early May, the most prominent flowers were Purple Viper’s Bugloss, Goat’s-beard Tragopogon pratensis, White Campion Silene latifolia, Milk Thistle Silybum marianum, and various clovers and wild brassicas. The plants seen being most used by butterflies were Purple Viper’s Bugloss and clovers.

I saw 21 species of butterfly in early May, including the Nettle-tree butterfly, a species that occurs mainly in southern Europe, breeding on the Nettle Tree Celtis australis, a common tree in Rome’s parks. Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, Holly Blue, and Brown Argus were seen, along with the introduced species Geranium Bronze. Red Admirals and Painted Ladies were busy breeding, with the latter breeding on mallows and thistles. Wall Browns were found in areas with bare soils and along the unvegetated tracks. A few faded Brimstones were still on the wing. Eastern Bath Whites (or Bath Whites) were also flying, and drawn mostly to wild brassicas for nectar. The Small White was very common, and the Large White was also seen, but in lower numbers.

One notable behavioural feature was the near-complete absence of butterflies before 11 am, despite the warm, calm, sunny mornings.  Some species did not appear until midday, and this includes species found in Ireland.  It is interesting to consider why most butterflies emerged later than they do in similar weather in Ireland. Have the butterflies resident in southern Europe acclimatised to require much warmer conditions to become active than those they accept in northern Europe?

The park impresses with its Nightingale populations, with beautiful singing from dense cover in various places. Blackcaps, Blackbirds, Jays, Wood Pigeons, and especially Hooded Crows, were common.

The park is large and topographically variable, with low hills and flat ground, featuring well established walkways taking you through the range of habitats present. It is a relaxing and interesting retreat from the crowds, noise and pace of Rome’s streets. Enjoy.

Photographs copyright J. Harding

 

Butterfly Conservation Ireland is delighted to see the sunshine return to our lives this April, and our butterflies are making the most of the opportunity to get out to feed, seek mates, lay their eggs, and, in some cases, to migrate. We would love you to get out and about to see and record our butterflies, and to record butterflies in your garden. Anyone can join our garden butterfly monitoring scheme, and you will receive a report on how our garden butterflies are doing early in 2027.

Our recording form is here:  https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/National-Garden-Butterfly-Survey.pdf

Any record of any butterfly or moth can be emailed to us. The way to do this is described here: https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/records/

The records for 2026, so far, are here: https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/records/2026-2-2/

Here are six butterflies visiting gardens now.

All are on the recording form, so get out into the garden and see if they are there. The more butterfly species your garden has, the better it is for nature.

Gardens are important for some butterflies. Butterflies do not ‘end up’ in gardens; they appear in gardens for a purpose. This might be to seek nectar, shelter, mates, breeding plants or hibernation sites.  By catering to these needs, you are making a difference to the conservation of nature in general, not just to butterflies.  For information about how to do this, see https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/butterflies/gardening-for-butterflies/

All photographs were taken during April 2026.

All photographs copyright J. Harding.

 

 

I recently visited a large Dublin garden centre and checked their stock. I didn’t see a single native flower for sale, but there were a few native flowering trees, such as native oak, imported from the EU.

Native flowers and trees sourced from wild Irish seed are far better for native wildlife than non-indigenous plants, some of which damage habitats.

Here are some spring-flowering natives you should look out for now, and use for your wildlife planting in school grounds, work grounds, community green spaces, gardens, parks and any land you have under your control.

This April, we are seeing our native resident butterflies take to the air to feed and breed. They are being joined by other insects, including two migrants, the Red Admiral and Painted Lady. Here are recently taken photographs of species flying in early April.

Spraying land with chemicals means most of the plants and animals featured above will be killed. There is a dreadful habit of spraying vegetation in spring. Don’t do it. It is anti-social, unhealthy and destructive. The alternative is to enjoy nature. Cut and mow if you must control vegetation.

All images copyright J. Harding except Painted Lady copyright Ashley Dowling.

 

 

 

 

Spring

Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden. – Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.

Gerard Manley Hopkins, North Wales, May 1877

It is now March, not May, so the explosion of vitality and sound is yet to come. For Hopkins, spring is a time of happy innocence, a time to grab its joy, “Have, get, before it cloy,” before it sours “with sinning.”

Our disrespect for our world is expressed not only through direct action but also through ignoring the beauty around us. If we are unaware of nature, its destruction can occur without anyone knowing enough to cry stop. We are running out of Edens to love and enjoy.

We seem to want to squeeze money from our Edens. Be it wind and solar energy installations on bogs to fuel more data centres (not to bring down energy bills), motorways to knock a few minutes off a journey (the N18 through orchid-rich grassland in County Clare), wetlands drained to bring more land into intensive, nutrient-boosted agriculture, we always want to find a ‘use’ for nature. We continue to degrade our planet:

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

(God’s Grandeur, Gerard Manley Hopkins, 1877, published 1918)

Yet, in the following lines, Hopkins moves from this bleak picture of man’s greedy exploitation to celebrating nature’s resilience:

And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs —
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

Indeed, it does seem that spring restores nature. What was bare becomes clothed in foliage, glassily emerald in crystal spring light. Animals detect increasing day length and temperature, calibrating their breeding season accordingly.

Hopkins wrote his poetry before the ferocious onslaught of intensive agriculture, before an excavator or a single spread of slurry or a dose of artificial fertiliser could destroy ancient habitats in an afternoon. I wonder if Hopkins would write God’s Grandeur if he were alive today. Could his powerful Christian faith still inspire his view that nature can recover?

Nevertheless, some poets see nature’s beauty in the ugliest of settings. It is a gift to see beauty in the midst of unedifying situations.  In Elizabeth Bishop’s double sonnet, The Prodigal, the sickening conditions of a putrid pigsty are juxtaposed with images of beauty and hope, offering the prodigal worker courage:

But sometimes mornings after drinking bouts
(he hid the pints behind a two-by-four)
The sunrise glazed the barnyard mud with red;
The burning puddles seem to reassure.
And then he thought he almost might endure
His exile yet another year or more.

Nature is deeply ingrained in our culture. Elizabeth Bishop references the biblical parable of the prodigal son, who wasted his father’s resources on depraved living before toiling in a pigsty, which wrought a sobering influence, causing him to “finally make up his mind to go home.”

Home for the first humans in the Book of Genesis was a garden, in effect, the natural world before Adam and Eve began to exploit its riches for selfish reasons and were exiled by God. Significantly, their punishment was to become farmers, feverishly tilling the soil to survive, rather than live a full life in harmony with nature in Eden.

Harmonious living with nature, once lost, was unrecovered. The prodigal son wanted to escape the tough life of intensive farming, so he swallowed his pride and returned to his father, offering himself as a servant.

What’s the point of this?

In neither example did the protagonists understand what it was to live in harmony with nature. There had to be a better, more exciting future out there. Casting aside their identities to live as they arrogantly pleased, life became miserable, and they lost what was good and true in their lives.

Today, we have so badly damaged our countryside that only small pockets of Eden remain. We visit our Edens to see our favourite butterfly, bee, and flower, but we have to leave them as we return to the banality of the general countryside. Our towns could be much better for nature too, but we have to spray, tidy, trim and decorate with non-native garden centre gaudies that offer nothing to wildlife. These often contain no pollen, nectar or other food for those creatures that would share our built environments if we let them.

I believe in hope. And every spring I see it.  The butterfly’s life cycle is a reminder of nature’s ability to deliver beauty. An ugly, spiny wriggling worm will, if it endures, become a glowing butterfly. A gelatinous, slimy mass of spawn will yield a joyous, leaping frog.

All they need to fulfil their potential is our humility. We are not masters of nature. We need to live with nature, not exploit nature.

 

 

Conditions allowed us to get out in the field with dry and bright weather until 3 pm when it clouded over, and rain threatened. Our objective was to clear the scrub from the area adjoining the open corridor linking Lullybeg and Lullymore.

The scrub was not obstructing or narrowing the corridor, but it was shading the area, limiting its use by butterflies, especially the Marsh Fritillary and Small Heath.

The area is used by the Marsh Fritillary, but only where direct sunlight reaches the grassland early in spring. This area has produced some interesting aberrations, with one extreme example shown here.

We managed to clear most of the area targeted and piled up the material to clear the ground. We hope the partly cleared area will develop woodland vegetation such as Common Dog-violet, to feed the Silver-washed Fritillary.

A more extensive clearing programme using machinery has also been applied to maintain the corridor and reserve, enhancing the habitats for all the moths, butterflies and other invertebrates in the area.

Thanks to all who help on the work days, which creates a purposeful, conservation experience for everyone involved. We need higher turnouts, and we hope to see this at our next work day on Saturday, 7th November 2026.

 

Our environment has seen severe declines in quality. There is no hiding this fact. Some of this is detailed in the state’s latest report on the quality of EU-protected habitats in Ireland, published by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2025. The report has found that 90% of habitats remain in Unfavourable status, with half showing ongoing declines.

The forthcoming updated red list for Ireland’s butterflies will make for grim reading. The decline figures are loud and clear, published annually by the National Biodiversity Data Centre in its reports on the findings of the Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and in the recently published book, An Atlas of Butterflies in Ireland 2010-2021.

All the common white and common brown butterflies are in trouble, along with our commonest Lycaenids (the family including the blues, Small Copper and hairstreaks). Even the Small Tortoiseshell has suffered declines. Some less common, more specialised species are being imperilled by the habitat damage referenced in the 2025 NPWS report.

This article is not intended as a sweetener or to obfuscate the biodiversity crisis. However, the full story must be told, and this includes positives.

An Atlas of Ireland’s Butterflies 2010-2021 shows that the Silver-washed Fritillary has increased its distribution. It has increased from 377 10km squares during 1995-2010 to 422 10km squares in 2010-2021, an 11.94% increase. Increased recording is responsible for much of the recorded increase, but it has certainly moved into new woodland that has been developing on abandoned land and where new woods have been deliberately created.

Strangely, the species is more widely distributed in Ireland than in Britain. It is absent from Scotland, despite occurring nearby in Northern Ireland, such as Ballycastle Forest, Antrim, 31km from Scotland. It is rare or absent from North Wales and most of Northern England, and areas in the Midlands. Its strongholds are in South Wales and across the south of England, especially in the south-west. It is expanding its distribution in England, and was recently seen near Newcastle’s border with Northumberland, after an absence of over 170 years (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly9zd9zr9do). It appears that some are being released into woods far beyond its known range, by nature lovers who long to see it return. It was remarkably abundant in the New Forest, Hampshire, in the 19^th century. That is certainly not true of the area today, where I have seen only occasional individuals.

We should rejoice in the increase of our most iconic woodland butterfly. Increasing shade in developing plantation forestry will shade it out of some woods, but the increase in woodland and mature scrub elsewhere may offset or more than compensate for any such loss. It is also a resilient butterfly, capable of hanging on for many years in small, suitable areas of woodland until more becomes available. This can happen when woodland spreads naturally or where felling occurs, leaving some non-timber trees like birch, when trees are thinned, or woodland sites are restored by the removal of non-native trees, which has occurred in some woods owned by Coillte, the state forestry body. Creating clearings, turning points and widening rides in plantation forestry can also create new habitat. Another example of how a new habitat can appear was observed in plantation forestry in Lullybeg, County Kildare, when many tall Lodgepole Pines died during the extreme cold in 2010, leaving hardier trees like Scots Pine and Downy Birch in place to produce an open, brighter wood.

Another species that has been shown to increase its distribution is the Dingy Skipper.  This localised butterfly was found in 128 10km squares from 1995-2010 and in 161 10km squares during the period 2010-2021, a 25.78% increase.

What is behind this increase? Increased recording is a factor, but others include increased management of suitable grassland habitat funded by agri-environmental schemes. During the period 2010-2015, 242 ha of scrub were removed to restore Annex I priority grassland in the Burren (Dunford and Parr, 2020). This is done to increase and maintain a priority habitat, orchid-rich calcareous grassland, a habitat highly favoured by the Dingy Skipper. Laying tracks in plantation forestry also helps when limestone aggregate is laid to improve access. This is often carried out with the clearing of overhanging and encroaching tree and scrub material, adding light and warmth to the track, encouraging the butterfly to breed and disperse. Ending peat production on state-owned bogs has helped in some bogs where drier areas, such as gravel fields, occur. Using material dredged from canals to form berms has provided habitat for the species along areas of the Royal Canal, such as east of Enfield and near the Leinster Viaduct.

The Marsh Fritillary, a butterfly whose extraordinary fluctuations in abundance make its populations notoriously difficult to track, has some positive news. Its distribution has risen from 248 10km squares in 1995-2009 to 355 10km squares during 2010-2021. There is no doubt that recording effort is responsible for some of this rise, and, importantly, just a single Marsh Fritillary butterfly was recorded in 100 of the 10km squares during 2010-2021, which is not evidence of a colony. However, even allowing for these two issues, it does not appear to have declined. NPWS reports that the overall status of Marsh Fritillary is Favourable, which represents a genuine improvement since the Inadequate assessment reported in 2019.

Even more impressive is the expansion of the Holly Blue. It rose by 28.42% in 2010-2021 compared with its distribution in 1995-2009. This is a clear indication of its increase. It is also likelier to produce a second and third generation in one year than it was in the past. It is a climate change beneficiary. Its lovely lilac blue adds a dynamic splash of glory to our spring and summer gardens, and it is universally welcome.

The top performer is a butterfly that we didn’t have before the 21^st century. The Comma has increased its distribution by 584% during 2010-2021. Up to 2010, it was found in 32 10km squares. By 2021, this reached 219, and this continues to increase. It is rapidly moving north and west. This attractive nettle-feeding butterfly (likes Wych Elm too) is now a common sight in woods in the east, southeast and parts of the midlands. Like the Holly Blue, our warming climate suits it. The Comma’s attractive caterpillar is solitary and typically hides under nettle leaves. These habits make it more reliant on ambient temperature than its communal cousins, the Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell, whose colonial larvae bask together to raise their body heat to the level needed for digestion and growth. Lower temperatures probably explain the Comma’s past absence from Ireland. It is also expanding rapidly in Scotland, which it re-entered in the early 2000s, after an absence of 140 years!

How you can help

Unless you provide larval foodplants in your garden, butterflies will not breed there, but will feed if you provide high quantities of the right flowers in the right places. Sunny, sheltered places are needed for the flowers, because few butterflies can tolerate shade in cooler climates.

Spring flowers, March/April: Dandelion, Cuckoo Flower, Bluebell, Bugle, Primrose, Grey Willow, Goat Willow (ten-inch-long cuttings inserted 3-4 inches into soil will grow these willows, but grow away from masonry), Blackthorn, Common Daisy are all excellent native flowers in March and April.

Spring Flowers, May: Hawthorn, Wild Crab Apple, Bush Vetch, Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil, Cuckoo Flower, Bloody Crane’s-bill, Common Catsear are very useful natives for butterflies.

Summer flowers, June: Ragged Robin, Bramble, Rough Hawkbit, Kidney Vetch, clovers, especially Red Clover and White Clover, will help early summer butterflies.

Summer flowers, July-August: Hemp Agrimony, Water Mint, Common Knapweed, Field Scabious, Common Marjoram, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Fragrant Orchid, Tufted Vetch, Purple Loosestrife (August) and Teasel are excellent for summer butterflies.

Autumn: Devil’s-bit Scabious, Common Ivy, Bramble (blackberries used by butterflies) are valuable native flowers for autumn butterflies; Argentinian Vervain Verbena bonariensis, a non-native, is outstanding.

Note: many flowers in garden centres are unsuitable for butterflies. Nearly all are non-native, and even when natives are stocked, they are usually imported. Many garden centre flowers do not contain nectar. No matter how attractive they look, insects ignore resourceless flowers.

Grow your own native flowers. Some will be in your garden already. Others will be found nearby.  Take ripe seed from common wildflowers and sow it fresh in seed trays and plant out when ready, or sow directly onto bare soil. More advice can be found here: https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/butterflies/gardening-for-butterflies/

References

BBC (2025) Rare butterfly spotted for first time since 1850. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly9zd9zr9do (Accessed 31 December 2025)

Dunford, B. & Parr, L. (2020) Farming for Conservation in the Burren. Pp. 56-103. In O’Rourke & Finn (2020) Farming for Nature The Role of Results-based Payments. National Parks and Wildlife Service Dublin.

Harding, J. (2021). The Irish Butterfly Book A Complete Guide to the Butterflies of Ireland. Privately published, Maynooth.

Harding, J. & Mapplebeck, P. (2025) Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia Pp 90-91. In Harding & Lysaght (2025), An Atlas of Butterflies in Ireland 2010-2021. The National Biodiversity Data Centre. Waterford.

NPWS (2025). The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Volume 1: Summary Overview. Unpublished NPWS report. Edited by: Domhnall Finch, Aoife Delaney, Fionnuala O’Neill and Deirdre Lynn