Sheedy’s bog near Clonlara will be the site of the Clonlara Marsh Fritillary Farm biodiversity project. This butterfly species, a legally protected member of Ireland’s wildlife, is under significant threat due to habitat loss across Europe, including Ireland.
The farmer who owns the land, along with the community, has developed a conservation scheme to create a safe habitat for this rare butterfly species. The project is funded by both Clare County Council and the National Wildlife Protection Service.
The Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), with its distinctive orange and cream wing pattern, is one of Ireland’s few legally protected butterfly species. The butterfly’s primary source of food and habitat is the Devil’s Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), a blue-flowering plant with broad leaves that thrives in wet, marshy environments like those found at Sheedy’s Bog. This plant is essential for the butterfly’s lifecycle, providing sustenance for the larvae and a place for the adult butterflies to lay their eggs.
The project aims to protect and enhance these habitats to help preserve the butterfly, whose population has been steadily declining in Ireland and across Europe due to agricultural intensification and habitat degradation. The butterfly can be found in several areas across Europe, from Ireland to as far east as Asia, but its numbers have been dwindling over the past few decades.
Under the EU’s Habitats Directive, the Marsh Fritillary is listed in Annex II, indicating that it is a species requiring strict protection. The conservation status of the butterfly in the area will be assessed through reports from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the local Biodiversity Officer, ensuring that the farm project aligns with national and EU conservation standards.
The butterfly’s lifecycle is intricately tied to the Devil’s Bit Scabious. Adult butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of this plant, and within 30 days, the larvae hatch and spin webs around the plant leaves. These larvae stay together in colonies, and by late September, they form dense webs, which can be seen in the habitat. They remain in their webs until March, at which point they pupate and emerge as adults by early May.
Unfortunately, due to changes in farming practices and the loss of traditional agricultural methods, Devil’s Bit Scabious has become less abundant in many areas. This decline in the plant has contributed significantly to the dwindling Marsh Fritillary population.
The Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (2021) highlighted a troubling 35% decline in Ireland’s butterfly population, further underscoring the importance of projects like the one at Clonlara, which aim to preserve both the butterfly and its critical habitat.
