Project co-ordinator Welcome to our 2016 Newsletter!

Welcome to our 2016 Newsletter!Welcome to our

Newsletter No. 7 | April 2016

With the start of the 2016 monitoring season, the Irish Butterfl y Monitoring Scheme is now in its 9th year of recording Ireland’s butterfl y populations.

Although an improvement on 2014, 2015 was still a challenging year for butterfl y monitoring in the Midlands, West and Northwest with it being the coolest year there since 2010. It was also the wettest summer in South and West since 2008 (and best not mention the rain in December), so only the East and Southeast escaped to any degree. Consequently, the number of recording days across transects was down by 9% in 2015, with the average butterfl y counts in the North and West being 27% lower than their colleagues in the South and East. All this results in a very mixed individual experience of 2015 by recorders and a good illustration of the strength of the scheme in pooling local information from across Ireland to reveal how our butterfl ies are doing at a national level.

Overall, despite the drop in opportunities to walk our transects, we still managed to record 39,100 butterfl ies, walking 3,724 km and 2,049 hours across 120 sites! After controlling for differences in recording effort, this is four times the eight-year low observed in butterfl y population size in 2014 and illustrates how, for common species at least,they have the capacity to bounce-back after a poor year (more detail on page 5). This level of recording effort also represents a signifi cant contribution to both butterfl y conservation and the knowledge of Irish biodiversity in general, and is a clear refl ection of your commitment to making the Irish Butterfl y Monitoring Scheme so successful: thank you!

Project co-ordinator

Tomás Murray

[email protected]

The National Biodiversity Data Centre

Beechfi eld House

WIT West Campus

Carriganore, Waterford

Tel. 051 306 240

Key recorders

Clare: Paula McHale,

paula.fl [email protected];

Kate Lavender-Duncan,

[email protected]

West Cork: Ciaran Cronin,

[email protected];

Abigail Brewer, [email protected]

Donegal: Richard McCafferty,

[email protected]

Galway: Elaine O’Riordan,

[email protected];

Liz and Martin Byrnes,

[email protected]

Kildare: Jesmond Harding,

[email protected]

Longford: Áine Fenner,

[email protected]

Tipperary: John Fogarty,

[email protected]

Wexford: Mary Foley,

[email protected]


Large White, Margaret Cahill, Limerick 09/08/2015


Your efforts are not going unrecognised and we are maximising the impact of your records. At present, every butterfl y you record is now directly informing:

• Irish conservation policy, as one of our National Biodiversity Indicators. In future, we’ll be partnering with our colleagues in Butterfl y Conservation Northern Ireland to produce an All-island Butterfl y Indicator too

• European conservation policy, as part of the European Grassland Butterfl y Index

• European butterfl y conservation research in partnership with our fellow butterfl y monitors in Catalonia, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden and Finland as part of the EU TRUSTEE project

• Conservation researchers across the world, as all our records are now part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility

Growing the Scheme

To continue to grow the monitoring scheme, both in terms of recorders and species accurately monitored through the scheme, we still need to increase the number of transects. To make this happen, we’ve increased the number of free workshops we’ll be running around the country. As part of this expansion, we’ve also made a few changes to our Regional Co-ordinators too. Their title has changed to ‘Key Recorders’, as we wanted to acknowledge that from some, they support butterfl y recording across multiple geographic areas, and also in some areas, there may be more than one Key Recorder. Ultimately, we’d love to establish a network of Key Recorders across Ireland to help encourage and support local butterfl y recording.

For anyone wishing to become a Key Recorder, all that we ask is you commit to running one event per year on behalf of the Irish Butterfl y Monitoring Scheme. The event could simply be to invite your local community to join you walking along your transect once or, at best, to run an identifi cation workshop to teach others how to identify and monitor butterfl ies. There already free teaching materials available online and if you would like to get involved and become one of our Key Recorders, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Christopher J. Wilson

Finally, we were deeply saddened by the passing of one of our founding recorders of the monitoring scheme, Christopher J. Wilson, last August. For those who never had the pleasure of knowing Chris, he was a respected naturalist, author and co-founder of the Wexford Naturalists’

Field Club who championed the enjoyment of all aspects of natural history and the teaching of others to do so. He was also an ardent supporter of the butterfl y monitoring scheme and was the fi rst person to establish a monitoring transect in the Republic of Ireland when he joined National Parks and Wildlife Service as a warden at the Wexford Wildfowl Nature Reserve in 1992. He provided his full support to, and became great friends with, Eugenie when establishing the Irish Butterfl y Monitoring Scheme and extended the same to me, a complete stranger, when arriving to the Data Centre two years ago.

Everyone involved in the monitoring scheme has either directly, or indirectly, benefi ted from Chris’s infectious enthusiasm for butterfl ies and we will ensure that the monitoring scheme will continue to be counted as one of his many lasting legacies to Irish natural history and conservation.

Everyone involved in the monitoring scheme has either directly, or indirectly, benefi ted from Chris’s infectious enthusiasm for butterfl ies”

Leitrim Field Day, Manorhamilton 21/07/2015

Christopher J. Wilson (1946-2015).


Transects in the Irish Butterfl y Monitoring Scheme 2015Legend:

Ongoing transects

New transects

Brimstone, Derek Brown, Clonbur Wood, Galway 27/09/2015


Name Site Code

Abigail Brewer C31

Aine Fenner LD01

Alberto Villarejo KE10

Andrew Butler WX05

Angela Dakin D08

Annemarieke van der Voort L09

Annette Lynch MH02

Anthony Pickering MO04

Bryony Williams MO06

Caroline Stanley G36

Catherine Seale G10

Cathy Kelly WW08

Chris Martin WH06

Christian Osthoff WW03

Christopher J Wilson WX01

Clare Bromley DL09

Clare Heardman C13

Clare McIntyre C37

Cliona O'Connell KK09

Colin Hamilton C38

Damaris Lysaght C29

Dave McKay WH05

Deirdre Murphy G26

Denis Cullen W03

Dermot McNelis DL06

Donal Sheehan C51

Donna Smith CE04

Eddie Gilligan KE04

Edward Hill D30

Eileen Maguire G22

Emma Stewart-Liberty CE01

Eugene McGettrick S02

Finbarr Ryan T17, T18

Fintan Ryan CW01

Fiona Lloyd LM04

Fiona Wheeldon LM02

Frank Smyth D07

Gillian Stewart WW07, WW10

Grainne Reidy G01

Gregory Daly S07

Howard Preston S08

Ian Edwards WW04

Irene Deisler DL05

Isobel Abbott C49

Jesmond Harding KE01

John Fogarty T03

John Hardiman LK01

John Kehoe WX16

John Lovatt D01

John Rossiter WW09

Jon Freestone MO08

Justin Ivory WW13, WW14, WW15

Karina Dingerkus MO09

Karin Manning D13

Kate Lavender-Duncan and Eileen O'Connor CE12

Kate Welsby RN08

Kathryn Freeman KY08

Kevin Deering S01

Lee Donohoe MH03

Leo and Geraldine Solosy DL04

Lesley Whiteside WH02, WH07

Linda Paterson CE08

Liz Sheppard DL03

Lynda Weekes KK04

Name Site Code

Mairi-Elena Crook DL07

Malcolm Taylor D18

Mark McCorry OY02

Martin and Elizabeth Byrnes G19

Mary Foley WX09, WX10

Mary Geoghegan G37

Mary Howard CE05

Mary Niblett W13

Michael Bell S05

Michael O'Connell G30

Michael O'Donnell WX18

Nuala Mahon C33

Oisin Duffy W12

Orla Murphy C41

Padraig Keirns G29

Padraig Rocke RN07

Pat Bell KE06, KE12

Patrick Sheridan KE09

Paul Corcoran D28

Paula McHale CE13

Pauline Murray D26

Peter Duffy G17

Peter Wolstenholme C43

Philip O'Donaghue C34

Rachel Vaughan T16

Rebecca Teesdale G05

Richard McCafferty DL02

Rob Wheeldon LM01

Rodney Daunt C03

Ronan Mac Giollapharaic G35

Roslyn Nicholson D19

Ryner Weinreich C23

Sam Connolly WW01

Sara Garcia Hipolito LM05

Scott Simons W16

Shonagh Gray KY14

Siobhan Hardiman RN09

Stephen Lester CE10

Sue White D03

Tadhg O Corcora KE02

Ted Cook C42

Thomas Farrell T19

Tim Butter C48, C50

Thomas Hanrahan LK02

Tomas Murray and Liam Lysaght W18

Tony Miller C16

Valerie McGrath D17

Vicki Davitt CE15

Irish Butterfl y Monitoring Scheme Recorders in 2015

Comma, Ciaran Byrne, Cuilaphuca Wood, Carlow, 16/05/2015

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Brown Hairstreak

Purple Hairstreak

Essex Skipper

Clouded Yellow

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Small Blue

Green Hairstreak

Large Heath

Marsh Fritillary

Comma

Gatekeeper

Grayling

Wall Brown

Dark Green Fritillary

Dingy Skipper

Brimstone

Small Copper

Painted Lady

Small Heath

Wood White

Silver-washed Fritillary

Holly Blue

Common Blue

Red Admiral

Large White

Small White

Orange-tip

Ringlet

Green-veined White

Meadow Brown

Peacock

Small Tortoiseshell

Speckled Wood

Meadow Brown: 12842

Ringlet: 10875

Speckled Wood: 9300

Green-veined White: 7317

Peacock: 4494

Small Tortoiseshell: 3253

Small White: 2684

Common Blue: 2553

Orange Tip: 1697

Red Admiral: 1661

Other: 7298

Meadow Brown: 12842

Ringlet: 10875

Speckled Wood: 9300

Green-veined White: 7317

Peacock: 4494

Small Tortoiseshell: 3253

Small White: 2684

Common Blue: 2553

Orange Tip: 1697

Red Admiral: 1661

Other: 7298


Species Summary for 2015The histogram summarises the number of sites at which each species was recorded and the pie chart illustrated the top ten most abundance species recorded in 2015.

Silver-washed Fritillary, Maria McDermott,

Arigna, Roscommon, 22/08/2015

Green Hairstreak, Chris Martin,

Doonis Bog, Westmeath, 22/04/2015

A breezy start to our Burren fi eld trip. T. Murray


2014 represented an eight-year low in Irish butterfl y population sizes and despite the fact that the weather in 2015 was seemingly equally as poor, on average we recorded four times as many butterfl ies per walk along our transects. At present, 16 of the 31 resident species

in Ireland fi t the minimum criteria for analyses and the index presented below is a summary of their population trends between 2008 and 2015. The shaded area of the graph indicates the region where we have a 95% statistical confi dence where the ‘true’ population index lies.

The results confi rm that our butterfl y populations do fl uctuate to a large degree across years. Unlike previous versions of this index, we now have suffi cient years of recording to set the 100% baseline at 2008. Since 2008, the largest population sizes were observed in 2010 (102% above 2008 and the lowest in 2014 (61% below 2008). Clearly, our butterfl y populations are tracking annual differences in weather but with a few more years of data, we should be able to identify long-terms changes across our species independent of weather-related effects.

However, at the species-level, declines can be detected. Across the 16 species that can be included in the analyses, 50% are in decline, 25% are increasing and 25% are too variable to estimate a trend.Specifi cally, national populations of Brimstones, Peacocks, Small Coppers and Small Tortoiseshells are on the increase. Green-veined White, Large White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath, Orange-tip, Speckled Wood and Wood White are in decline. Common Blue, Holly Blue, Silver-washed Fritillary and Small White populations have fl uctuated too widely for any clear trend to be estimated.

As the scheme continues and a modest increase of between 7-14 transects per species, another fi ve species will be included in the analyses: Dark Green Fritillary, Dingy Skipper, Gatekeeper, Green Hairstreak, Wall Brown. Therefore, if you know of areas where these species areconsistently recorded, but we currently lack someone monitoring, please let me know.

Common Blue, Mary Mahony, Inis

Meáin, Galway 06/06/2015

Thanks to all who joined us at the Country Life Museum, Castlebar

2008

220

200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20Popu

lati

on In

dex

(20

08

= 1

00

%)

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Year

Green-veined White, Eugene Kelly,

Ballinvella, Waterford 24/05/2015

Fritillary, Dingy Skipper, Gatekeeper, Green Hairstreak, Wall Brown. Therefore, if you know of areas where these species areconsistently

lack someone monitoring, please let me know.



Hairstreak, Wall Brown. Therefore, if you know of areas where these species are

lack someone

please let me know.



Irish butterfl y population trends since 2008


Species Change 2008 - 2015 Statistical Confi dence

BrimstoneStrong Increase (> +5% p.a.)

99%

Peacock 99%

Small CopperModerate Increase (< +5% p.a.)

99%

Small Tortoiseshell 99%

Green-veined White

Moderate Decline (< -5% p.a.)

99%

Large White 99%

Meadow Brown 99%

Ringlet 99%

Small Heath 99%

Orange-tip

Steep Decline (> -5% p.a.)

99%

Speckled Wood 99%

Wood White 99%

Common Blue

Uncertain (> ±5% p.a.)Holly Blue

Silver-washed Fritillary

Small White

Brown Hairstreak

Unknown

Comma

Dark Green Fritillary

Dingy Skipper

Essex Skipper

Gatekeeper

Grayling

Green Hairstreak

Large Heath

Marsh Fritillary

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Purple Hairstreak

Small Blue

Small Skipper

Wall Brown

Clouded Yellow

MigrantPainted Lady

Red Admiral

Population changes per species since 2008


2015 Workshops and Field Meetings

Kerry Monitoring Workshop, Killoglin, 9th May.

Rosie Magee kindly hosted a workshop on behalf of the Killoglin Tidy Towns group. The Kerry weather did it’s best to try and hamper the workshop, but we still managed to record Green-veined Whites, Orange-tips and Small Tortoiseshell along the banks of the River Laune.

Offaly Identifi cation Workshop, Lough Boora, 16th May

As part of workshop programme in the Data Centre, we visited beautiful Lough Boora on a relatively dull and cold day in May. After the workshop in the morning and when the sun did break through, we

still did manage to chase down Green-veined Whites, Orange-tips, Peacock and Speckled Woods as well as Ciaran Taylor fi nding a Forest cuckoo bumblebee!

Annual Recorder’s Field Meeting, Wicklow, 13-24th May

The sun shone, but not many butterfl ies were spotted on the fi rst day the meeting where we walked along the Wicklow Gap before wandering through Glendalough proper. It was a little too early at this altitude to see many butterfl ies, but those bumblebee recorders among us we’re delighted to see the rare Mountain bumblebee, as well as Buff-tailed, White-tailed, Heath and Early bumblebees across both sites.

Sunday morning began with a Gillian Stewart kindly providing material from her moth trap and in the capable hands of both Gillian and Angus Tyner, we had an impromptu workshop on moth identifi cation. Gillian also kindly introduced us to her transect along the Sean Linehan Walk in Aughrim where we fi nally got to see a decent number of butterfl ies on the wing. Afterwards, it was a short jump to Buckroney Nature Reserve: an excellent coastal site with Orange-tip, Wood Whites, Common Blue, Small Heath, Small Copper and even a suspected Small Blue (it was recorded one day afterward in Wexford!).

Annual Recorder’s Field Meeting, Glendalough 13/05/2015

Lough Boora Monitoring Workshop, Offaly 16/05/2015

SECAD Midleton Monitoring Workshop, Cork 30/07/2015


Galway Monitoring Workshop, Headford, 6th June

The Headford Environmental Group and Venetia McEllin were certainly an engaging and enthusiastic bunch of recorders with an excellent track record in raising environmental awareness and appreciation biodiversity around Headford. Speckled woods and the last of the Orange-tips were the only species seen, but the established nature walk outside the town held plenty other invertebrates to catch our attention on the day.

Galway Monitoring Workshop, Portumna, 7th June

On the grounds of the Mercy Sisters in Portumn lies An Gáirdín, the Organic Garden and Ecology Centre. It was a beautiful setting for the workshop hosted by the Mercy Sisters and Christine Kelly of the Portumna Biodiversity Group. The discussions at lunchtime were lively, but the setting very peaceful and the grounds provided a great introduction to the whites with Small, Large and Green-veined all in attendance.

Leitrim Field Day, Manorhamilton, 21st June

Rob and Fiona Wheeldon kindly both opened their home to a motley crew of recorders and guided us along their transects in Manorhamilton and the Uragh in Leitrim. Despite the mixed weather, the day was a great success as there are too few opportunities for recorders to meet and enjoy some fi eldwork together. There was also some stimulating discussion on future directions for the monitoring scheme which will bear fruit this year….

Cork Monitoring Workshop, SECAD Midleton, 30th July

The participants of the Tús scheme at the South East Cork Area Development company really took to the monitoring methodology and for most it was their fi rst experience of biological recording. A particular spot on the banks of the Owenacurra yielded an abundance of Common Blues, as well as a mix of Whites, Speckled Woods and Small Tortoiseshells for everyone to practice their new found identifi cation skills upon.


Upcoming Events and Meetings in 2016Annual Field Meeting for Monitoring Scheme Volunteers

Barleycove, Co. Cork: 13-14th August

We will hold an annual fi eld meeting for everyone who participates in the bumblebee and butterfl y monitoring schemes. It will be based in the beautiful West Cork coastal area of Barleycove with local expertise being provided by Damaris Lysaght, and will take place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August. Full details will be confi rmed in May (as some of the hotels there have yet to open for bookings!), but the schedule will be roughly the same as in previous years: Saturday 13th, walks across two sites in the morning and afternoon, a series of short talks in the evening, then an evening meal and the

opportunity to socialise afterwards; Sunday 14th, one short talk in the morning, a visit to one fi eld site, fi nishing up at lunchtime.

There is no charge for attending the fi eld meeting, but please email me to book a place. When you email to book, please indicate whether you would be interested in joining us for dinner on the Saturday evening.

Monitoring Scheme Workshops

There will be a series of workshops on the butterfl y and bumblebee monitoring schemes in 2016. These will cover all aspects of the monitoring schemes including species identifi cation and use of the online data capture system. Weather permitting it will include an afternoon walk to identify butterfl ies and bumblebees in the fi eld. The fi nal list of workshops for next year is still growing, so keep an eye on our website for any updates: http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/record-biodiversity/surveys/butterfl y-monitoring-scheme/news-events/

Location Date Time Address Booking Information

Cork 16th April 10am – 4pm IRD Duhallow Ltd., James O’Keeffe Centre, Newmarket. Booked out until further notice.

Kerry 27th April 10am – 4pm Listowel Town Council Building, Listowel.

Mary Hanlon, Listowel Tidy Towns, [email protected]

Kerry 28th April 10am – 4pm Cahersiveen Public Library, Market St., Cahersiveen.

Lisa O’Shea, Cahersiveen Tidy Towns, [email protected]

Louth 9th May 10am – 4pm St. Michaels Hall, Newry St., Carlingford.

Joanne Redpath, Carlingford Tidy Towns, [email protected], 042-9373686

Louth 10th May 10am – 4pmBlackrock Community Centre, Sandy Lane, Blackrock, Dundalk.

Larry Magnier, Louth Tidy Towns, [email protected]

Limerick 14th May 10am – 4pm Desmond Complex, Newcastle West, Limerick.

Vicki Nash, [email protected] , 086-2517086

Monaghan 28th May 10am – 4pmFamily Resource Centre, Rossmore Forest Park, Monaghan.

Carol Lambe, Development Offi cer Monaghan Co. Council, [email protected]

Cavan 25th June 10am – 4pmThe Goods Store, Community Hall, Belturbet Railway, Railway Road, Belturbet.

Stephen Shannon, 087-8550632

Cavan 26th June 10am – 4pm The Riverfront Hotel, Virginia.Mags Mathews, Virginia Tidy Towns, [email protected] or 086-1783974

Upcoming Events and Meetings in 2016opportunity to socialise afterwards; Sunday 14th, one short talk in the morning, a visit to one fi eld site, fi nishing up at lunchtime.

There is no charge for attending the fi eld meeting, but please email me to book a place. When you email to book, please indicate whether you would be interested in joining us for dinner on the Saturday evening.

Small Heath, Chris Martin, Doonis Bog,

Westmeath, 23/06/2015

Dark G

reen Fritillary, Christopher B

olton, Mucklagh, W

icklow, 28/07/2015

Project co-ordinator Welcome to our 2016 Newsletter!

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Transcript of Project co-ordinator Welcome to our 2016 Newsletter!