CRASH COURSE IN IDENTIFICATION

© Tomás Murray 2015 Photograph/catch and release One of the fastest ways of gaining confidence with identification. To avoid damaging the butterfly, make sure you place enough tissue paper in the container to ensure the butterfly crawls, rather than flies, within. For help with identification:

1. Email your butterfly photo to: [email protected]

2. Post a photo to our Facebook page: Monitoring Ireland’s

3. Buy an identification swatch: http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/home-page/shop/

4. There’s a smart phone app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.bi odiversityireland.butterfly Andrew Fenner has developed a freely available Android smart phone app – download from Google Play Once you know what species you’ve seen, not matter how common or rare…..

Don’t forget to submit the record! http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/ Bits of a butterfly

Head Antenna

Eyespot Forewing Thorax

Abdomen

Hindwing

© Rodney Daunt Bits of a butterfly

Forewing

Hindwing

Outer margin

© Fionn Moore Vanessids & Fritillaries

Starting with the © Colin© Stanley Liam LysaghtVanessids – they’re © Liam Lysaght Red Admiral – Venessa atalanta large and distinctive Painted Lady – Venessa cardui , so typically the easiest ones to learn!

© Liam Lysaght © Liam Lysaght Peacock – Inachis io Small Tortoiseshell – Aglais urticae Vanessids & Fritillaries

common migrant - the number of adults seen per year depends on the number of © Colin Stanley © Liam Lysaght migrants reaching Ireland from Red Admiral – Venessa atalanta Britain and continental Europe common migrant

© Liam Lysaght © Liam Lysaght Peacock – Inachis io Vanessids & Fritillaries

common migrant

© Liam Lysaght © Liam Lysaght Painted Lady – Venessa cardui

© Liam Lysaght © Liam Lysaght Small Tortoiseshell – Aglais urticae Vanessids & Fritillaries

Again, a distinctive © Oisín Duffy group of which three © Liam Lysaght Dark Green Fritillary – species are under Marsh Fritillary – Argynnis aglaja threat of ! aurinia

© Rosenswieg © Michael Kranewitter Silver-washed Fritillary – Pearl-bordered Fritillary – Argynnis paphia Boloria euphrosyne Vanessids & Fritillaries

On the upperside of the wings – marked contrast between wings and dark body

© Oisín Duffy © Colin Stanley Dark Green Fritillary – Argynnis aglaja

On the upperside of the wings – no contrast between wings and body

© Rosenswieg © J.P. Marino Silver-washed Fritillary – Argynnis paphia Vanessids & Fritillaries

© Oisín Duffy Dark Green Fritillary – Argynnis aglaja

© Rosenswieg Silver-washed Fritillary – Argynnis paphia Vanessids & Fritillaries

© Liam Lysaght Marsh Fritillary – Euphydryas aurinia

© Michael Kranewitter Pearl-bordered Fritillary – Boloria euphrosyne Vanessids & Fritillaries

© Chris Wilson Comma – Polygonia c-album

Previously considered a rare migrant, it was first recorded in Ireland in 2000 and as of 2014 has now been confirmed to be overwintering here. Populations now probably represent an admixture of resident and migrant individuals. http://butterflies.biodiversityireland.ie

[email protected]

Don’t forget to submit your records! http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/

Thank you to all the recorders who kindly allowed us to use their photographs for this guide!