Irish butterfly numbers under threat

GIVEN our national penchant for destroying the world, it should not come as a surprise to learn that 18% of our native butterflies are in danger of extinction.

Some people may ask: what matter and why be so concerned about butterflies? Apart altogether from being a thing of beauty in its own right, the butterfly has other important values. It is, for instance, an indicator of the wellbeing of our environment — like a fish kill being the result of polluted water. The diminution of the butterfly in Ireland is caused mainly by the loss of its natural habitat, which has been accelerated by large-scale development in recent decades.

Sometimes, butterflies are confused with moths. Butterflies fly by day and moths generally fly at night. A clearly distinguishing feature is the antennae. Butterflies always have threadlike antennae, but moths can have many types of antennae, some feathery.