Garden Biodiversity

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Last week I did a post on International Biodiversity Day. As part of the day here in Ireland the National Biodiversity Centre was encouraging us to record the wildlife in our gardens over the weekend.

I concentrated on wild flowers, trees, butterflies, bees, birds and mammals. In total I had 64 species, though I know that there are more as some birds and butterflies that occur in the garden were not recorded over the weekend. I also didn’t see any frogs or newts which I also know are here. A couple of bees were missing too and I wasn’t able to identify all the hoverflies seen – some are quite tricky unless you have a microscope.

There were forty one wildflowers and trees, and thirteen different bird species, though admittedly I only heard the cuckoo! The hoverfly Leucozona lucorum was a new one for me, though I have since seen about five more. Another lovely find was a small copper butterfly. The peacock butterfly was quite worn but still beautiful.

Green veined white
Peacock
Buff tailed bumblebee
Hoverfly – Leucozona lucorum
Carder Bumblebee
Longhorn bettle – Rhagium bifasciatum
Speedwell
Lesser celedine
Primrose
Hawthorn

Nationally on Friday 22nd May – 1,756 records were submitted to the Date Centre,  on Saturday 23rd May – 1,894 and on Sunday 24th May – 1,658 records. A total of 890 different species were recorded which is pretty impressive. More information can be seen on http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/

 

12 thoughts on “Garden Biodiversity”

  1. gaiainaction

    Thank you very much for the link, the information and the beautiful photos which are all very helpful. I was not even aware of the biodiversity day! Next year I will take part too. 🙂 Isn’t May the most beautiful and lush month in Ireland.

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      Thank you. Admittedly I didn’t take them all over the weekend – the first lot are from the weekend and then a couple from last year but still species I recorded over weekend:)

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      Thanks Melissa – I thought it was a great idea. Usually they gather experts at a number of ‘good’ sites and do a bioblitz – ie trying to record all they see at that site, but this way everyone got to do it in their back yard!

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  6. Jane

    And a truer picture that the survey is done in people’s gardens rather than by ‘experts’ in a squared off area, so to speak. How heartening to see such a range. Here’s to schools having their own gardens for such surveys for all the obvious reasons. Brilliant.

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