Common Blue is a rare beauty

ENCOUNTERS with butterflies are among the highlights of an Irish summer.

The number of species in this country is small compared to other parts of Europe but includes truly spectacular insects. The list of species in Ireland is growing. Some new ones are colonising us from abroad; some have been here all the time, unrecognised because they’re similar to other species.

The Comma (above) is a butterfly colonising the country from Britain, and Real’s Wood White, the Essex Skipper and the Small Skipper were unrecognised until recently.