2008
Donegal Butterfly Survey – Summary Report up to May 15
April was an exceptionally cold month with daytime temperatures struggling to reach 10 degrees C. May produced a dramatic change, with temperatures rapidly rising and by the second week reaching into the twenties and even the mid to high twenties in parts of west Donegal on May 12 and 13. The result was that as May began, butterflies in general were at least two weeks behind recent years as was the vegetation. The rapid warming led to a quick change as reawakening adults, emerging new season early residents and a few migrants appeared almost together. Indeed my mid-month, sixteen flying butterfly species had been recorded in Donegal. The following summarises the records for each species:
Just one recorded on May12 by Dermot Breen at Sheskinmore (G69). In 2007 the first DS was recorded on May 04.
Even this usually early and common
species was rare this April. Among the early records were on April 23 from
Richard McCafferty at Glenties (G89) and on April 26 from Craig Ayres on the
south side of the Bluestacks at Lettermore (G88). In 2007 the first Donegal GVW
record was on April 03. The warm May weather soon bought them out and on May 10
I saw 100+ hovering in a field at St John’s Point (G77).
The first 2008 record of a GH was on April 30 from Frank Smyth nr Keedew
Br (H08), as compared to April 26 in 2007. On May 05 Liz and Ralph Sheppard
reported six from Kilrean, nr Glenties (G89), however it was not until about May
12 this year that the GH began to become reasonably widespread and numerous in
Donegal. On May 13 Richard McCafferty counted 33 GHs nectaring on willows nr
Maas (G79). On May 14 Con O’Donnell saw over 50 GH on Bilberry at a site nr a
river between Glenveagh and Dunlewey (C02) and also saw lesser numbers
at three other sites with Bilberry. On May 14 Sue and John Shiels
discovered a GH at Aught (C42) in SE Inishowen and which is a new 10km sq
record. It is to be remembered that GHs visit some rural gardens
as is the case this year in the garden of Eleanor Hort of Meentashesk
(G68), nr Glencolumbkille, where they have been nectaring on
Rosemary..
The first 2008 Donegal Holly Blue
record came on April 26 from Craig Ayres at Lettermore (G88) flying around a
Portuguese laurel in his garden. This compared with a first Donegal HB record on
April 12 in 2007. On April 29 Frank Smyth reported three at the Mullans (G96)
and on April 30 he counted 14 HB at Ardnamona (G98) with Neil Doherty reporting
two on the same date at Cloghroe.. On May 01 Ethna Diver reported one near the
College in Letterkenny (C11) and on the same date two HBs were seen by Liz and
Ralph Sheppard at Glen Lough (C13). Thereafter several were recorded at Duntally
Wood (C03) by Ethna Diver, Neil Doherty, who counted at least twelve, and
myself. Then on May 06 at Carrablagh Gardens (C24), nr Portsalon came news from
Ethna Diver of the first 2008 new Donegal 10km sq for the Holly Blue. On May 14
a second new 10km square for HB was discovered at Glentornan (B81) by Con
O’Donnell with one clear sighting and possible others flying high up in a tall
sheltered holly. Meantime in Northern Ireland many new sites for HB have been
discovered this year in most counties. Searches for HB in Inishowen so far have
proved negative.
Large Whites were reported widely in
the period. These may have been the result of successful breeding last year but
some could be migrants.
Most sightings have been of ones and
twos. On May 10 I saw one at Pullldugh (G77) on the St John’s Point Peninsula.
On May 12 with Richard McCafferty I saw two more at Malinmore (G48) and one at
Doorian (G89) nr Glenties. Craig Ayres also reported single LWs at Lettermore
(G88) during the second week of May.
The MF does not fly until late May or
early June. However, the caterpillars can be seen in warm weather through March
and April and into early May. Because March and April were so cold not many were
reported in Donegal this year as they hide away in cold conditions. On March 02
Frank Smith counted over 100 MF caterpillars at Kildoney (G86) in one large and
three small clumps and on April 13 over 150 MF larvae also at Kildoney. On April
30 he saw four larvae at St John’s Point and then on May 02 ten MF larvae at
Bonnyglen, Inver (G87). G87 is a new 10km sq record for the Marsh Fritillary.
The latest Donegal MF larva reported by Frank Smyth was a single caterpillar on
May 12 at Kildoney.
The Orange Tip is usually a real sign
of spring. In 2007 it appeared as early as April 04 and thereafter frequently
throughout April. This year it was slow to appear but as a result large numbers
emerged together in early May, a fact that was commented on by most recorders.
The first 2008 records on April 23 were from Richard McCafferty, near Glenties
(G89), who saw three. Frank Smyth reported eleven OTs at Kilmacreddan (G77) on
April 30.
The small immigration of clearly
migrant butterflies into Donegal occurred towards the end of the first week of
May. On May 10 Frank Smyth recorded a Painted Lady at Rossnowlagh (G86) and on
May 13 Maurice Simms reported one together with two Red Admirals on Croaghan
Hill, nr Lifford (H39). The source of these early migrants was the strong and
warm SE winds that were such a feature of the Donegal weather for much of the
first half of May 2008.
As one of the two butterflies which
regularly overwinter as adults in Donegal, the Peacock is usually one of the
earliest to be seen. For example in 2007 the first record of a Peacock in
Donegal was on February 26 followed by several in March. The first 2008 Donegal
Peacock records came from Frank Smyth on April 11 at the warm southern sites of
Murvagh (G87) and the Knader(G96), east of Ballyshannon. Craig Ayres reported a
Peacock at Lettermore on April 26. Thereafter the species was widespread,
although usually appearing in ones and twos. Most recorders indicated numbers
appeared down on 2007. For instance Josephine O’Donnell noted seeing upwards
of twenty in 2007 at sites near Crolly/Gweedore (B81/82/92).
On May 11 Frank Smyth reported a WW at
the Knader (G96) and this remains the only reported Donegal sighting so far this
year. The first Donegal WW record for 2007 was on April 27. This species is very
local, especially in north Donegal but remains under-recorded due to confusion
with other small white butterflies.
The first 2008 records of Red Admirals
in Donegal were on May 07, with two reported on Croaghan Hill, nr Lifford by
Maurice Simms and one in her garden in Buncrana (C33) by Sue Shiels. On May 10 a
RA was recorded at Rossnowlagh by Frank Smyth and on the same day another was
sighted at Buncrana by Dermot McLaughlin. On May 13 Maurice Simms again saw two
RAs on Croaghan Hill, this time also with a Painted Lady.
The Small Blue usually appears in
Donegal in late May, so in a late year only very few would appear in early May.
On May 10 I saw one at the usually strong colony at St John’s Point (G76) and
on May 12 Dermot Breen recorded one at Sheskinmore (G69). In the exceptionally
early year of 2007 the first Donegal SB was recorded on April 27.
The first 2008 Donegal Small Copper
was recorded by Frank Smyth at Inver Dunes (G87) on April 30 and I saw one in
the same area on May 07. The first
Small Coppers in 2007 were on April 27, although then there were eight.
Subsequently im=n may 2008 a SC was
recorded at Binion (C34) in Inishowen by Sue Shiels, and two by Terry Tedstone
at Lag (C45), nr Malin Town. Con O’Donnell saw one nr Gweedore on May 13 and
Danny Gillespie also reported one at Staleel (G58), nr Carrick.
The SmT, as the second butterfly in
Donegal that usually overwinters as an adult, is one of the first to reappear in
the spring. In 2007 the SmT also had excellent breeding success of the late
summer generation in most parts of Donegal. However the cold weather in March
meant few early sightings this year. On March 29 Richard McCafferty reported one
SmT in Glenties (G89). The cold April did little to encourage them either,
although Sandy Alcorn on April 16 saw three SmTs on Tory Island, sheltering out
of the wind behind stonewalls. Although not very numerous this year, the SmTs
are very widespread, with ones and twos appearing almost everywhere throughout
Donegal.
Danny Gillespie reported Small Whites
at his garden at Dactan (G67) nr Kilcar. There were probably others
elsewhere in Donegal but with lots of GVWs, some SWs may have been missed.
The Speckled Wood is also usually an
early butterfly. This is because it is able
to overwinter both as a caterpillar
and a chrysalis. In 2007 the first Donegal SpW record was on March 27. In 2008
among early SpW records were on April 26 at Lettermore (G88) by Craig Ayres
and April 29 one at the Mullans (G96) seen by Frank Smyth. On April 30 he
saw four at Kilmacreddan (G77) and
nine at Ardnamona (G98) on the same date. Thereafter the SpW appeared widely at
most of its usual haunts but seldom in large numbers.
On May 11 at Ardbane (C04) in north
Rosguill I saw at least eight Wall Browns on a sheltered south-facing hjllside.
They were spread out over a distance of some 200m. The habitat is typical north
Donegal WB habitat with rough grasses interspersed with rocky outcrops and ample
nectar sources including bird’sfoot trefoil and dandelions. Later the same day
I discovered at least three more WB south of Ballyboe (B93) nr Falcarragh.
On May 12 Dermot Breen recorded one at
Sheskinmore (G69). The first 2007 Donegal Wall Brown was recorded on April 24.