Donegal Butterflies
July 2010
After the fine warm May and June, July was a lot more broken with a lot of cloud and rainfall above average throughout Donegal. The earlier fine weather had ensured a very good year for the early flying species but also meant that many of the later species were ahead of schedule and in most cases had a good year too. The Grayling and Dark Green Fritillary both did exceptionally well and the SWF also was ahead of schedule and in good numbers at its early sites. The SMT had an excellent year with large numbers of larvae widespread throughout July providing the hope of a plentiful second generation in late August and September. Peacock larvae were also widespread and the first new adults occurred in the last week of July. The Red Admiral after a slow start began to appear towards the end of July and its larvae were widespread if not numerous throughout the month.
DGF – the DGF had already appeared at many of its usual sites in June and numbers continued to build through early July. On July 05 Ian McCambridge recorded 20+ DGF at Sheskinmore. On July 07 Frank Smyth recorded 20+ DGF at Murvagh and on July 09 Ethna Diver reported 30+ DGF also at Murvagh. On July 11 Richard McCafferty recorded 10 DGF at Dooey (B70). New sites in 2010 for DGF were at Cleengort (G79), where on June 25 Richard McCafferty and I saw a DGF nectaring on clover and near Lough Eske (G98), where on July 22 Ethna Diver and I saw a DGF nectaring on Buddleia. This is a new 10 km sq record for G98 and another example of an inland site for DGF in Donegal.
G – the Grayling continued to do well in July at many of its coastal sites in Donegal. Sightings were reported at Sheskinmore (G69), Malin Head (C35), Dactan (G67), Fintra (G67), Kildoney (G86), St John’s Point (G76) and Dunfanaghy (C03).
GVW – numbers built up in the second half of the month as the second generation emerged and began to justify the GVW’s claim as the most numerous and certainly widespread butterfly in Donegal.
LH – the LH was almost over this year in Donegal by the start of July. Richard McCafferty reported one LH on July 02 at Loughcrillan (G89) and this was the only July record received so far this year for Donegal.
LW – widespread but mostly in small numbers.
MB – widespread but numbers
tending lower than usual, except in strong colonies such as St John’s Point
(G76), where Frank Smyth saw over forty MB on July 28.
MF – another very good year for the MF in Donegal. On July 01 Richard McCafferty recorded a late adult near Glenties (G89). On July 26 Frank Smyth saw over thirty larval nests at Kildoney, most of which were at the brown leaf stage with two leaves involved. On July 27 Ethna Diver and I checked west Donegal sites and found similar nests at Derrydruel (B70), Meenamarragh (B81) and Moneybeg (B92), with at the latter case two groups of larvae already in white webs.
On July 28 Frank Smyth saw some forty larval nests at one part of the St John’s Point colony and also found two larval nests at a new site at Doobally (G96). These larval nests are earlier than usual for Donegal and reflect the many weeks of fine weather in May and June.
Further attempts to find MF larvae in Inishowen at two sites in very good habitat near Malin Head (C35/C45) again proved negative.
PL – the only record was of a faded specimen seen by Ethna Diver and myself on July 01 at Glentown Quarry (C30), near Saint Johnstown.
P – larvae were widespread indicating a good breeding season. Small numbers of adults were reported here and there from mid-July.
RA – widespread singles, mostly in south and west Donegal. Numbers increased in the last week of July with three being recorded on July 31 on Buddleja at Carnowen (H29) by Liz Sheppard and on the same day two being reported by Ethna Diver at West Bundoran (G85). On July 22 I saw a RA laying at west Bundoran. Larvae were widespread but local and in low numbers throughout the month.
R – plentiful and widespread throughout the early part of July with Richard McCafferty estimating up to three hundred near Glenties.
SWF – after an early start, the SWF was plentiful at most of its known sites. On July 23 Ethna Diver, Ian McCambridge and I recorded four SWF nectaring on Privet at Binroe (G77) three SWF also on Privet at Fintra (G67). On July 27 I saw over 30 SWF at Cleengort (G79/G89).
SB - in mid July Ian Rippey recorded 22 SB larvae at the Gweebarra Br site (G79).
SC – widespread but numbers usually low.
SH – few records with numbers much reduced on June. On July 07 Frank Smyth reported six SH at Murvagh.
SmT – adults widespread and large numbers of larvae in many areas. On July 24 Ethna Diver and I estimated 2000+ larvae near Inver Dunes (G87) and there were several other reports of many hundreds of larvae.
SW – small numbers and local.
On July 29 Con O’Donnell and I saw a SW nectaring on Sea Rocket at Port Ronan,
nr Malin Head.
SpW - widespread as a new generation
emerged but numbers mostly low.
WB – a single WB was seen by
Con O’Donnell at Cruit Island (B72) in the last week of July.