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Donegal Report june 2007 

 

Donegal butterfly Survey Update June 2007  

The weather was exceptionally warm and sunny in early June. A warm very settled spell up to June 11 gave way to more broken weather thereafter. Following on the exceptionally fine April and reasonably dry May the result has been that most butterflies have been flying in Donegal in unusually large numbers at least two weeks ahead of their usual flight periods.

Summary Highlights

Marsh Fritillary: on June 09, 200+ at Cruit Island and 50+ at Glashagh. Three new colonies reported at Maheraclogher (B82); Glenkeo (C11), Ballygonigan (H29* new 10km sq record). Butterflies well spread out and very active on June 09 at Cruit and Glashagh.

Large Heath: recorded from June 07 – the species was plentiful at many of its known sites on bogs in the southern two-thirds of Donegal. So far this year LH has been reported from thirteen 10km sqs, four of which are new 10km sqs G59, G67, H19 and H29. Once again efforts to locate LH on Inishowen and on 10km sqs C00 and C10 have proved unsuccessful.

Small Blue: 200+ SB were seen at Cruit on June 09 and the species seems to have had a good year at most of its known sites.

Green Hairstreaks:  Kept going in small numbers up tp about June 12; new 10km sq record on G 59 (Glenlough on June 10). Eleven new 10km sqs added for GH in 2007.

Peacock: Peacock larvae have been exceptionally numerous and also very early in Donegal this year. 1000+ larvae were seen nr Maas (G79) on June 13. It seems likely that adults may appear as early as July 10.

Small Heath:  new 10km sq records for B94 (Horn Head on June 05), G59 (Glenlough on June 10) and H29 (Ballygonigan on June 07)

Small Tortoiseshell: Another species that appears to have had a very successful breeding season in Donegal and with some new season adults already on the wing by mid-June.

Painted Lady: a widespread influx to Donegal was recorded, beginning from June 07 at Raphoe and thereafter from most parts of Donegal. Numbers reported were usually one – three, except for Tory where about forty were seen on June 17.

Tory: On June 8 Frank Smyth visited the island and reported: CB 2, GVW 1, LW 3, SmT 1. 
        On June 17 Ethna Diver reported: CB 50+, LW 10+, PL 40, RA 4.

Bob Aldwell

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Details of Visit to Donegal by Bob Aldwell  June 08 – June 13 2007

Highlights:

The 2007 Donegal butterfly field weekend was held on June 09 and 10.  Day-1 was in coastal areas of the Rosses and day-2 in Inishowen.  June 08 – 12, I was in the company of David Nash and on the morning of June 13 with Richard McCafferty. Twenty-two participants took part on June 09 and thirteen participants on June 10.
Weather was warm and sunny from June 08-11 and cloudy-bright on June 12 and 13.

June 08 – east of Carrick – Teelin – Slieve League – Lough Auva – 
10km sqs G67, G57, G58

 

Weather: warm and very sunny – temperature 22 degrees+.

 

Nr Cuskry – G6094 7802 – blanket bog and fen – at roadside *WW 1 nectaring on red clover

Nr Cuskry – G6080 7787 – in bog *LH 10, SH 4

Arrigal – G5890 7819 – southeast sloping damp meadows with plentiful DBS and other wild flowers – checked for MF but none seen – GVW 2, P 1, SH 4, SmT 1, SpW 3.

Bunglass Rd – G5710 7544 – nr lower car park in wet swampy bog – GH 1, SH 8

Nr Lough Auva – G5360 8155 – former good LH site on extensive blanket bog with old and current turf workings – LH 6+, SH 12+

June 09 – Cruit Island – Maheraclogher – Glashagh – 
10km sqs B71, B72, B82, B83

 

Weather: warm and very sunny – temperature 20 degrees +.


Cruit Island B73 19 and B73 20 – either side of track running east from cemetery to stand and pony club area with adjoining low hill - CB 20+, LW 1, MF 200+, SB 200+, SC2, SH 25+ WB 1. Vegetation was in full bloom and MFs were very active in warm sunshine and spread over a wider area than in previous cooler years. SBs were also spread over most of the area with KV.

Maheraclogher -  B8000 2481 – hollow with grass cuttings and sheltered nettle clumps on sides –

batches of P and SmT larvae, SC 1.

Maheraclogher – B7999 2520 – in dune area adjoining low area holding water in winter – MF 1, which is a new site for the MF.

Glashagh B80 29 and B 80 30 – in area of dry and wet fen to the north of the track leading to the coast. – GVW 1, MF 50+, SB 10+, SH 20 + and newly emerged Small Elephant Hawk Moth.

As at Cruit MFs were well spread out and actively flying in warm sunny conditions.

June 10 – Meenirroy - Inch Levels – Drumfree - sth of Dunmore Hd – Tremone Bay – Drumnagassan  - 
10km sqs  B90, C00, C32, C34, C54 

 

Weather: less warm, 18-20 degrees with cloudy periods

 

Meerirroy – B9985 0778 – blanket bog heavily worked by turf cutting – SH 6 – no signs of LH

Meenirroy – C0031 0797 – blanket bog very heavily worked by turf cutting –  SH 2 - no LH.

Inch Levels – C3641 2219 – minor roadway with lush verges including Meadow Vetchling adjoining large fields with previous oil seed rape – GVW 2+, LW 1, SpW 1. 

Nr Drumfree – C3933 4182 – blanket bog, currently in good condition; reason for visit was possible sighting of MF by Con O’Donnell on May 30. No MF seen in cloudy bright conditions and only small amounts of DBS noted. Habitat at first glance not typical of MF but the species previously was widely present north of Buncrana and because of the warm weather MFs have been more widely spread this year than usual. Area should be checked further for MF, including nearer the lakes.

Sth of Dunmore Hd – C5536 4977 – well-vegetated cliff side but north-facing  - GVW 2, SpW 4 and batch of 200+  half-grown Peacock caterpillars.

Carrowtra – along minor road, nectaring on brambles – PL 1

Tremone Bay – C5910 4749 – well vegetated and sheltered roadside verges, wild gardens and stream beds – GVW 2, big LW larvae on Hesperis, PL 1, SH 1, SpW 2, SW 1.

Drumnagassan – C5765 4659 – sheltered area with scrub at stream & bog edge – SmT 2, SpW 2.

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June 11 – east of Damph -  Glentogher – Ture – SE of Grania’s Gap -  nr Moville – Greencastle - Eleven Ballyboes – Dunagree Point – Ardmalin – nr Malin Hd, Glengad – 
10km sqs C43, C44, C42, C63, C64, C45 C35, C55. 


Weather: mainly bright but cloudy at times and more windy – temperature 16 –19 degrees.


East side of Damph - C4444 3821 – extensive blanket bog, which looks suitable for LH but may have been heavily grazed in the past? SH 20+ but no signs of LH

Meenyollan – C4601 4048 – area with large clumps of nettles bordering on blanket bog, appears to have been used in past as unofficial dumping area – SH 10 +, PL 1 – no caterpillars on nettles.

east of Ture  - C4784 2922 – small little-used road with lots of bilberry and gorse adjoining planted woodland – appears ideal for GH, although none seen – OT 1, SH 1.

nr Moville – C6035 3805 – a quiet leafy lane with plentiful vetches and vetchling – PL 1. SpW 6.

Greencastle – C6525 4030 - at old ruined castle with masses of Valerian and, brambles and grass – LW 4, MB 1, PL 1, P 1, RA 1, SmT 1, SpW 3.

Eleven Ballyboes – C6717 4149 – sheltered rocky area at edge of Lough Foyle - PL 1.

Dunagree Point – C6821 4272 – small dune area and adjoining cliff with plentiful KV – PL 1.

Nr Malin – C4490 5073 – sheltered overgrown roadside quarry with lots of Meadow Vetchling LW 1, PL 1, R1, SW1, SpW 1.

Ardmalin – C4002 5819 – fen and marshy area with plentiful DBS – PL 1, SH 2.

Ardmalin – C3990 5817 – marshy area with lots of DBS, appears good MF habitat.

1 km east of Malin Hd –  C3945 5920 - sheltered area of fen with some DBS – SH 2.

1.5 km east of Malin Hd – C3995 5900 - wet bog with bog pools and some DBS – PL 1.

Glengad – C5055 5482 – track towards dump – GVW 1.

Glengad – C5085 5422 – boggy area with some sheep – GVW 1, SH 2, OT egg 1.

 

June 12 – Three Tops – Letterbrick - Cark Br – 10km sqs C00, C10.


Weather: cloudy with rain at first and then cloudy bright with a little sun, temp 16-18 degrees.


Visit Veronica McCormick at Troopers Hill – she did not see any HBs this year

Letterbrick – C0116 0118 – garden of Cynthia Cox – SmT 1 and one RA larva (2nd instar).
Three Tops – C0635 0157 – wet blanket bog – SH 20+ but no signs of LH.
Three Tops – C5085 5422 - along roadside and in drains – GVW 3, OT 2.
Nr Cark Br – C108 046 – low sheltered bog, appeared suitable for LH, but none seen

 

 

June 13 – nr Maas – Graffy – Meenaleenaghan  - 
10km sqs G79, G99.

 

Weather damp at first then cloudy and cloudy bright with temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees.

 

nr Maas - G7576 9734 - nettles on disturbed ground  at edge of bog; Peacock larvae 1000+
nr Maas – G7628 9671 – Richard McCafferty brought me to an extensive bog with some turf cutting, where he had previously seen ten or more LH, weather was marginal – 3 LH seen
Meenaleenaghan – G9368 9748 – nr conifer plantation  - Peacock larvae, RA larvae 4+  2nd inst.
Lughveen – G9526 9959 – bog extending down from road, some turf cutting, possible LH site but none seen – too cool? Car parking at ruined house with a few stunted trees at G9524 9968.

Bob Aldwell

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