An introduction to bu tte rflies and day-flying moths of No rthern Ireland Red Admiral Butterflies and moths can be found everywhere from the tops of our mountains to the seashore, in our parks, gardens, fields and woodland. This guide will introduce you to the butterflies and some of the day-flying moths that you will find in Northern Ireland, and suggests some of the best and most easily accessible places in the region for you to see them. About this Booklet This booklet provides a brief introduction to some of the butterflies and moths you are likely to see in Northern Ireland. It gives some idea of the shapes, colours and variety of our butterflies and moths, the times of year that you will see them and the types of landscape they can be found in. We also suggest some popular sites in Northern Ireland you can visit to see butterflies and moths on the wing. If you want further information on our butterflies and moths, we have listed some excellent resources at the back of this booklet. How to use this booklet At the beginning you will find our Common or All sites described are shown on the fold-out map ‘Wider Countryside’ species, butterflies and moths at the end of the booklet. On the back of this is that can be found anywhere in Northern Ireland. information on helping record our butterflies and moths and also on other resources and guides. The back of the booklet introduces our rarer or ‘Specialist’ butterflies and moths, which are All of our butterflies and moths are linked to often restricted to a region or even just to a particular types of landscape or habitat. These are couple of sites, but you might still encounter very varied, but have been basically described as; as you explore the countryside. • Peatland - bogs, moors and fens In the middle you will find a page on each of the • Grassland - meadows, grassy rides and glades 6 counties with 3 suggested sites to visit in each. Woodland - forests, scrub and hedgerows All of these sites are open to the public throughout • Rocky - sand dunes, sea cliffs and stony outcrops the year and are divided into two main categories: • • Urban - parks, gardens and farmland Family Friendly sites have lots of facilities and are often easy to find Each site description gives a rough idea of the different landscapes you will encounter and, Off Road sites are more basic and therefore, what creatures you may come across often a bit more off the beaten track. while you are there. Wider Count ryside Butte rflies and Moths Wider Countryside butterflies and moths are found right across the countryside, gardens and wild places throughout Northern Ireland. As caterpillars, they eat a wide variety of different plants, or eat very common and widespread plants like nettles . They are mobile and can easily fly from one patch of habitat to another. Green-veined White Small White Large White Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Flight season Flight season Flight season March to October March to October April to September Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant Leaves of small crucifers Cabbage plant family Cabbage plant family including Cuckooflower Clouded Yellow (MIGRANT) Six-spot Burnet (MOTH) Silver Y (MOTH, MIGRANT) Distribution Widespread Distribution Widespread Distribution Everywhere Flight season Flight season Flight season May to November; peak Late May to early September Mid-April to November; peak sightings August to September Caterpillar food plant sightings June to late August Caterpillar food plant Bird’s-foot-trefoil Caterpillar food plant Clovers and other members Bedstraws, Common Nettle of the pea family and clovers Orange Tip Cinnabar (MOTH) Distribution Everywhere Distribution Widespread Flight season Flight season Early April to mid-July; peak sightings May May to August Caterpillar food plant Cuckooflower Caterpillar food plant NB Both male and female have mottled green Common Ragwort underwings, but the female has no orange spots Wider Count ryside Butte rflies and Moths Wider Countryside butterflies and moths are found right across the countryside, gardens and wild places throughout Northern Ireland. As caterpillars, they eat a wide variety of different plants, or eat very common and widespread plants like nettles . They are mobile and can easily fly from one patch of habitat to another. Meadow Brown Ringlet Speckled Wood Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Flight season Flight season Flight season March to early May to late October Mid-June to Mid-August November; peak sightings Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant August to September Grasses Grasses Caterpillar food plant Grasses at the edge of woodland Small Copper Small Heath Common Heath (MOTH) Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Flight season Flight season Flight season Mid-April to mid-October Late April to mid-October; peak Mid-April to early August Caterpillar food plant sightings mid-May to late June Caterpillar food plant Sheep’s Sorrel and Caterpillar food plant Various heathers Common Sorrel Fine-leaved grasses Common Blue Holly Blue Distribution Everywhere Distribution Flight season May to October Scarce with more seen in the south and east Caterpillar food plant Birds’-foot-trefoil Flight season April to June, and August to September NB These butterflies have orange spots on Caterpillar food plant their underwings, Holly Blue are powder blue Flowers and fruits of Holly in spring, with black spots only Ivy flowers in autumn •Peatland •Rocky •Urban •Grassland •Woodland Small Tortoiseshell Red Admiral (MIGRANT) Painted Lady (MIGRANT) Distribution Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Everywhere Flight season Flight season Flight season All year round; peak sightings March to November; peak All year round; peak sightings August to September sightings August to September July to September Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant Common Nettle Species of thistle Common Nettle Peacock Comma (MIGRANT) Humming-bird Hawk-moth Distribution Everywhere Distribution Rare, sightings (MIGRANT) Flight season restricted to the Ards peninsula Distribution Widespread All year round; peak Flight season July to August Flight season April to October sightings in August Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant Common Nettle, Bedstraws, but very unlikely Common Nettle sometimes Hops to successfully breed in NI Emperor Elephant Hawk-moth Distribution Everywhere Distribution Everywhere Flight season Flight season Late March to mid-June; peak sightings mid-April Mid-May to late July; peak sightings mid-June Caterpillar food plant Caterpillar food plant Heath, Meadowsweet, Bog Myrtle and Willow Various wIllowherbs and Fuchsia County Antrim l i c n u t o s u C r T h g n e f i u o l s o d r l n i i o k t W B r A e e n t n r s a l i a S U L o o o t t t o o o h h h p p p Carnfunnock G G G Breen Wood National G Slievenacloy G G G Country Park Nature Reserve J 243 709 D 383 068 D 120 336 Postcode BT28 3TE Postcode BT40 2QG Silver-washed Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Tortoiseshell, Ringlet Speckled Wood Common Heath Facilities Facilities Facitilties Car Park, Toilets, Parking in Layby, Parking in Layby, Visitor Centre, Interpretation Panels Waymarked Trails Access for All, Interpretation Panels, Aptly named the ‘Fairy Place’ Although not easy to find, in Irish, visiting Breen Wood Slievenacloy is well worth Situated just north of Larne, is like going back in time to the discovering. This Ulster Wildlife Carnfunnock Country Park prehistoric forests that would Trust owned nature reserve lies has almost 200 hectares of have once covered County at the heart of the Slievenacloy woodland, meadows and Antrim. Spring brings a flush of Area of Special Scientific Interest, gardens to explore as well as woodland wildflowers including designated for its species rich wonderful views across the primroses and bluebells and grassland and filled with a rich Irish Sea to Scotland. you may even catch sight of array of wildlife. red squirrels in the trees. Access Access By Road : Carnfunnock is Access Slievenacloy does not lie on a bus signposted off the A2 Coast By Road : Breen Wood is route and is not signposted from Road, approximately half signposted off the B15 Glenshesk the main road so explorers should a mile north of Larne. Road, approximately 3.5 miles make sure they have identified the By Bus: Ulsterbus 162 service east of Armoy . site on a map before setting out. follows the Coast Road, the Bus: Ulsterbus Service 131 From Lisburn: Take the B101 Rock nearest bus stop is located and 178 run from Ballycastle Road heading north to Dundrod. just outside the entrance to to Armoy past the entrance to After approximately 5 miles turn the Park. Contact Translink Breen Wood. Contact Translink right onto the Flowbog Road. for more information. for more information. From Belfast: Take the A501 Glen Road heading south east. At the Owned and managed by Owned and managed by NIEA Coin Glen Filling Station turn right Larne Borough Council www.ni-environment.gov.uk onto the Ballycolin Road, then the www.larne.gov.uk [email protected] next left onto the Flowbog Road . [email protected] Site Manager 028 7082 3600 Park outside the main gates to 028 2827 0541 the reserve on the Flowbog Road. Slievenacloy is owned and managed by the Ulster Wildlife Trust www.ulsterwildlifetrust.org [email protected] 028 4483 0282 Translink www.translink.co.uk