Case Study 2
Case Study 2 : Volunteers Managing Breeding Site Of A Rare Butterfly
On three separate occasions in 2010 and 2011, the Burrenbeo Conservation Volunteers work with Jesmond Harding, butterfly enthusiast and author of ‘Discovering Irish Butterflies and their Habitats’. The volunteers undertook to help manage the same site near Carron.
This is a very special site and hosts many species of butterflies including the rare Marsh Fritillary. By managing the encroaching hazel scrub the BCVs help this rare butterfly increase its breeding potential. Jesmond believes this work will continue to hugely benefit this species of butterfly and others and he is delighted to continue to train the BCVs in wildlife monitoring so that they have a better understanding of what exists around the Burren region as a whole.
Case Study Extract by Jesmond Harding:
The site immediately south of St Fiachtnan's Well at Fahee North near Carran was identified as an exceptional lepidoptera site in 2006 when the site was found to hold a thriving population of Marsh Fritillary. Further searches yielded more rarities including the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Dingy Skipper, Wood White, Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth, Wood Tiger and Transparent Burnet among many others.The area received only very sporadic grazing and was being encroached by scrub.Following valuable intervention by Mr Hugh Robson, the farmer and Burrenlife the site was fenced to allow for light,short duration cattle grazing.Volunteers from Burrenbeo Trust led by Jesmond Harding of Butterfly Conservation Ireland cleared some encroaching scrub but leaving plenty of scrub to provide for continued shelter and habitat so that the balance between open and scrubland is maintained.This work is vital to grassland butterflies like the Marsh Fritillary whose larvae need to raise their body temperature to 35 degrees Celcius in order to metabolise. This can require the larvae to raise their body temperature 20 degrees Celcius higher than their surroundings and this will only be possible if the habitat receives sunlight and warmth.This requires a sunlit, sheltered habitat with warm nooks provided by a tall[typically over 15-25 cm on wet sites like Fahee] but not dense sward that has a tussocky structure.Selective scrub cutting and light cattle grazing is excellent for this rare butterfly and for other species too. Thanks are due to everyone involved in this important work.
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