Beneficial insects are essential in keeping our gardens and farms healthy. Some pollinate plants that produce our food. Others eat pests that would otherwise destroy our food crops. They also help break down dead organic material and recycle nutrients back into the soil. We rely on these tiny insects more than we realize, and they are a valuable part of the ecosystem.What … [Read more...] about Beneficial Garden Insects and How to Attract Them to Your Garden
insects
Book Review: Insects of Ireland
I've always had a fascination with minibeasts.As a child I used to lie in the long grass for what seemed hours at a time, watching the drama of the miniature ecosystem unfold in front of me. What I was seeing, quite literally under my nose, was every bit as dynamic, exciting and unpredictable as the natural history programmes on the telly. But this was live in my back … [Read more...] about Book Review: Insects of Ireland
Book Review: Britain’s Day Flying Moths
Moths are brilliant.Here in Ireland we have only 34 butterfly species -- including residents and frequently encountered migrants. We have, to date, more than 1,330 recorded moth species on the island. They come in all sorts of shapes colour and sizes and are a fascinating group of oft-overlooked insects that play a crucial role in the maintenance of a healthy, functioning … [Read more...] about Book Review: Britain’s Day Flying Moths
Lost bumblebee rediscovered in Dublin after 88 years
A gardener at a Dublin park has rediscovered a bumblebee species last recorded in Ireland in 1926.Eddie Hill, who is an avid bee recorder, and regularly submits bee sightings to the National Bumblebee Monitoring scheme, noticed some odd looking bees feeding on flowers at St. Enda’s Park in Rathfarnam. After studying photographs and two specimens of the bees, experts Dr. … [Read more...] about Lost bumblebee rediscovered in Dublin after 88 years
Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni)
The butter-yellow wings of the male brimstone are a true herald of spring, and are credited by some as the inspiration behind the word “butterfly”. These pretty yellow butterflies are quite common, especially around open woodland, and are often the first butterflies to be seen in spring. Brimstones emerge from their winter hibernation as soon as weather conditions start to … [Read more...] about Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni)
