BUZZING AND FLUTTERING
On a warm day’s walk, you may find comfort and joy in the buzzing and fluttering of some of our pollinating insects. Pollinators play an essential role in our ecosystems, since a majority of our wild plants depend on them to carry their pollen from flower to flower in order to reproduce.
Some of the most renowned experts at this job are bees. There are around 100 bee species in Ireland, and they are rather diverse. While some species are social and form colonies, most Irish bees are solitary. Each female bee makes her own nest, with different species having different preferences: some dig holes in the ground, some prefer using cavities in wood, and one coastal species likes nesting in empty snail shells.
Even our ancient predecessors were aware of how precious these small creatures are: in Celtic mythology, bees were a symbol of wisdom and regarded as messengers between the human world and the spirit realm.
Bees may be our most famous pollinators, but butterflies, moths, flies and beetles carry out pollination duties too! There are almost 1500 moth species in Ireland, and they come in all different shapes and colours.
Some are masters of camouflage, like the clever buff-tip moth, which resembles a broken birch twig. Others like to stand out, such as the elephant hawk-moth, in its unforgettable pink colouration.
DID YOU KNOW?
Some butterflies can use their wings to aid their hearing!
Studies have shown that some butterfly families have special large veins on their wings that form a part of the hearing system, by channelling sounds toward an ear cavity.
The hearing range of butterflies is thought to include low frequency sounds, meaning that they are likely able to hear human speech
HOW YOU CAN HELP
POLLINATORS AT HOME
Let it grow! If you allow a section of your garden to be cut less often, the pollinators will visit you more frequently and be grateful for the food and
shelter!
Want to help recording? The Garden Butterfly Monitoring Scheme is a simple way to contribut to pollinator conservation from your own back yard.
Find out more:
biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/garden-butterfly-monitoring-scheme/
