1. Dr Brian Nelson Research Branch National Parks & Wildlife Service Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2. E-mail: brian.nelson@environ.ie brian.nelson@environ.iebrian.nelson@environ.ie Tel: 01-8883294 Web: www.npws.ie www.environ.ie Marsh Fritillary survey and monitoring

2. Lifecycle and ecology of the species Habitat Irish status and distribution Why, when and what to monitor Outline

3. Marsh Fritillary Lifecycle and Ecology

4. Lifecycle

5. Lifecycle Adults - end of May and June Eggs laid within 1-2 days in single large batch. Foodplant Succisa pratensis Larvae hatch 2-3 weeks later Feed communally until 3rd instar then hibernate. Resume feeding early spring. Larvae disperse and pupate end of April

6. Habitats Damp neutral or acid grassland with Blue moor grass Molinia caerulea Calcareous grassland Dune heaths Conditions met on edges of bogs and fens, sand dunes, limestone pavement, tracksides NOT on improved grassland, intact bogs, deeply flooded sites, woodland

7. Vegetation & management In Wales M24 Molinia - Cirsium dissectum. Most sites grazed or burnt In Scotland acidophilous Molinia mires. Most sites lightly grazed In Northern Ireland unmanaged, or extensive grazing with cattle Rest of Ireland ???

8. Foodplant - Devil’s-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis

9. Abandoned/degraded bog Lullymore Co Kildare

10. Abandoned/degraded bog Mannin/Island Lake, Co Mayo

11. Calcareous grassland Clooncoose, Co Clare

13. Calcareous grassland Parknabinnia, Co Clare

14. Damp grassland/machair Sheskinmore, Co Donegal

15. Grazing management

16. How does Marsh Fritillary occupy a site?

17. Metapopulation Always occupied Never occupied Occupied 75% of time

18. Fermanagh – green all sites with records; red

19. Monitoring Marsh Fritillary Adult short lifecycle and are not mobile. Transects not suitable Webs highly visible, static and directly related to the habitat Monitor in September Recording can be done in spring to confirm site – also adult surveys Search patches of scabious for 5 minutes to detect presence

20. Appearance of the webs – two typical webs in short vegetation. Note the colour and amorphous shape

21. A web in taller vegetation, Sheskinmore Co Donegal, incorporating dead leaves of the foodplant

22. Marsh Fritillary web Parknabinnia, Co Clare, Sept 2010. Probably a hibernation web. Note the tight form of the web and position (not on Devil’s bit Scabious)

23. Marsh Fritillary webs showing brown colour and dirty appearance due to presence of frass and dead leaves

24. Irish distribution Vulnerable A2c Annex II Habitats Directive

25. Monitoring Marsh Fritillary Web counts

26. Habitat assessment

27. Height of vegetation

28. Acknowledgments: Eugenie Regan (NBDC), ButterflyIreland, Caroline Bulman (Butterfly Conservation), Irish Peatland Conservation Council and Jesmond Harding.