Dear Irish Wildlife Trust Members, “Summer comes, and with it the time when the land is loud with life.”
— Seamus Heaney
This year, after a glorious spell of warm weather in May, it truly felt as though the land had found its voice again, buzzing, fluttering, humming, and alive. Like many of you, I was encouraged by the number of butterflies and damselflies spotted this spring, as well as the audible presence of insects on country walks. In a world where insect declines are a growing concern, these small signs of hope truly matter.
In this issue, Billy Flynn’s article, Splat, features the Bugs Matter app. It’s an app that turns our ordinary car journeys into an opportunity to contribute to insect monitoring. By counting splatted insects on our license plates, we can all help scientists gather vital data. It’s a wonderfully simple example of how citizen science can support conservation.
Our insects need more than our monitoring; they need habitats. Our feature issue is a brilliant article by Dr Maria Long of the NPWS on Ireland’s grassland meadows. These rich and often-overlooked habitats are teeming with life, but they are also under real threat. As Maria explains, we must do more to protect what remains and to restore and value these places not only for their beauty but for the essential roles they play in supporting biodiversity.
It’s been heartening to see more local councils allowing patches of unmown grass and wildflowers to flourish in towns and villages. These spaces can be a lifeline for
pollinators. As always, there is more work to be done here, too. I often hear people describe these areas as “messy” or “neglected”. It’s still counter-culture to allow native plants to thrive in our gardens. There remains a strong cultural pull towards neat, tightly mown grass. Changing this perception is part of the challenge. We need to help people understand that what may look scruffy is, in fact, a space for life to thrive. Behind that push are all of you, our early adopters, members and supporters who understand that protecting nature is not a hobby but essential to all our futures.
I want to thank our incredible staff and volunteers for the fantastic Biodiversity Week events they delivered across the country. Whether it was meadow walks, nighttime bat walks, educational talks, or hands-on workshops, these events brought people closer to nature and reminded us all why this work matters. A special word of thanks also to our branch volunteers; your dedication is at the heart of the Trust’s impact.
I hope this summer gives you many moments to get out in nature and enjoy the glories of this time of year, the beautiful wildflowers, the baby animals and our summer visitors. Thank you for all you do, through your support, your actions, and your care, to help Ireland’s wildlife thrive.
Warm regards, Anne Hannan Chair, Irish Wildlife Trust
Pass it on. If you’re finished with your Irish Wildlife don’t throw it in the bin. Pass it on to someone who you think may enjoy it – or ask your local library or doctor’s office to leave it in the reception. You’ll help the environment and the IWT while you’re at it. Irish Wildlife is 100% recyclable, so if you do choose to throw it out, please put it in the green bin.
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About Us
The Irish Wildlife Trust was founded in 1979. Our mission is to protect and restore biodiversity in Ireland by motivating and supporting people to take action for nature.
The IWT is dedicated to creating a better future for Ireland’s wildlife through:
Motivating and supporting people to take action for wildlife.
Education and raising awareness of all aspects of Irish wildlife and conservation issues.
Research of the natural environment. Acquiring and managing nature reserves to safeguard species and habitats.
Lobbying decision-makers at all levels to promote policy in Ireland that provides a sustainable future for wildlife and people. Working in partnership with other organisations to achieve results that matter for conservation.
Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT.
How can you help?
You, our members, make the IWT what it is. Through your subscriptions and support we can undertake the projects that are benefiting Ireland’s wildlife. If you would like to help more, here’s what you can do:
• Make a one-off donation to the IWT.
• Give IWT membership as a gift.
• Volunteer – we are always looking for people to help out. There are lots of ways to get involved, from helping with important admin work in our office to helping us increase membership by volunteering at public events. See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the office directly.
The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country:
Dublin: dublinbranch@iwt.ie
Facebook @ DublinBranchIrishWildlifeTrust
Kerry: iwtkerry@gmail.com
Facebook @ KerryIWT
Limerick: limerickbranch@iwt.ie
Facebook @ IWTLimerickBranch
Monaghan: monaghanbranch@iwt.ie
Facebook @ iwtmonaghan
Waterford: waterfordbranch@iwt.ie
Facebook @ Irish Wildlife Trust
- Waterford Branch
• Do you have land that you would like used for conservation? We are always on the lookout to establish new sites to enhance wildlife or provide education opportunities.
• Remember us in your will. Why not leave a lasting legacy towards conserving Ireland’s natural heritage? The IWT uses all funds towards our campaigns, managing reserves and our education programmes. Please visit www.mylegacy.ie.
• Set up a branch. Are you passionate about wildlife and are in a county that does not have an IWT branch? Contact the office and we can give you the support you need to get up and running.
5 Kittiwakes and Guillemots nesting on narrow cliff ledges Photo: Carsten Krieger
6Common wasp Photo: iStockphoto
IWT ACTIVITIES UPDATE
By Kieran Flood, IWT General Manager
A new look for IWT
This May we had the pleasure of meeting many IWT members at our National Biodiversity Week events. Biodiversity Week is a highlight in our calendar, as we get outdoors and connect our IWT community with nature. This year we ran 10 events across the country at which we shared knowledge on elements of Irish biodiversity from bees to bats to dragonflies and damselflies. Building Connection with Nature is a key pillar of our work and we aim to achieve this through encouraging time spent in nature while also increasing our community's ecological literacy. Ecological literacy being our knowledge and awareness of the workings of the web of life. Biodiversity Week is an annual highlight for this pillar of our work, but it does not stop there.
We are happy to report that our Dublin Branch has re-launched their long running Green Drinks programme, after a pandemic induced break. Each month the branch organises an in person nature talk in a Dublin city centre pub. The event has a social focus, so people learn about nature while also getting to know other members of our community. We always leave time for a good discussion after each talk and attendees are invited to stick around for a drink and a chat. Green Drinks is free of charge and is on the first Tuesday of the month. To find out venue and speaker information check out our events page iwt.ie/events, or the Dublin Branch facebook page. Continuing the theme of ecological literacy our Limerick Branch played a role in supporting the Future of Moths and Butterflies conference in Castleconnell on the 5th and 6th of June. This
conference brought together butterfly and moth experts to discuss the status of these insects in Ireland and exchange ideas on how to help these amazing creatures. The branch is also doing great work improving the local community’s understanding of insect life through their butterflies, damselflies, bees and dragonflies “BDBD group”, which IWT members can join on request. Contact limerickbranch@iwt.ie for details.
Advocacy for Nature is another pillar of our work that has kept us busy this season. As I write this piece our Marine Advocacy Officer, Grace Carr, is representing us at the United Nations Oceans Conference. We are attending the conference along with our partners in Fair Seas and Seas at Risk to push for greater ambition in ocean protection,
partake in the Blue March protest event and to try to meet the Irish government delegation in order to push for progress at home on the designation of marine protected areas.
A key piece of work that will affect the future of wildlife both in the sea and on land is the Nature Restoration Law. We were happy to be invited to be part of the Leader Forum on Nature Restoration which is part of the stakeholder engagement for the production of Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan. The IWT was represented at and inputted into the first meeting of the Forum in April. You can read more details in our Nature Restoration Law update article.
Finally you may have noticed our new IWT logo, font, and colours in this issue of the magazine. We hope you like the new look. We were sad to say goodbye to the old deer but we are very happy with our new bushy tail. The logo is based on the shape of a mammal's tail, such as the red squirrel, fox, or pine marten. The tail represents balance and protection for our native mammals and we strive to represent these values also at the Irish Wildlife Trust.
"The tail represents balance and protection for our native mammals and we strive to represent these values also at the Irish Wildlife Trust"
By Kieran Flood, IWT General Manager
CONNECTING WITH NATURE
Share your Recommendations
Throughout future issues of Irish Wildlife we will build a catalogue of nature reserves and wild areas where people can go to encounter Irish wildlife, and we’d love it if you, our members, can help. If you have a recommendation of a favourite place to go to connect with nature, please let us know? We do not want to put pressure on sensitive habitats, so we ask that you share places that have an existing path network and safe parking area. If you’d like to get involved please send the info listed below to editor@iwt.ie with the subject:
Places to Explore
» Location: coordinates or an online map link
» Images: At least one high resolution image of the site
» Description: A description of the site itself, what nature can be encountered there and a recommended route (max 500 words).
Image artist Jacinta Jardine
CNational Biodiversity Week
onnection with Nature is a strong theme of our work at the Irish Wildlife Trust. We envision an Ireland where people have a deeper connection with nature, and an understanding of Irish biodiversity and of our place within the natural world. We work towards this goal through our webinars, articles, talks, workshops, and especially our outdoor nature events. All of which aim to share knowledge of Irish wildlife and to increase ecological literacy.
This May we delivered a fantastic National Biodiversity Week schedule of nature events across counties Cork, Down, Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Monaghan and Waterford between 17th and 25th May. We ran these events in beautiful locations that provide public access to explore and learn about nature. The week would not have been possible without the IWT branch committee volunteers who gave their time and energy to organise events. A big thank you to all who helped make a fantastic National Biodiversity Week happen. Here's is a round up of the event activities and locations.
17 MAY
Curraghchase Biodiversity Event
Curraghchase Forest Park, Co Limerick
Our Limerick Branch hosted two events in Curraghchase Forest Park in association with Kilcornan Tidy Towns. The events explored the Dragonflies and Butterflies found around the lake as well as the mature trees on this site.
17 MAY Carlingford Lough Protection
Rostrevor Yacht Club, Carlingford Lough, Co Down
IWT’s Grace Carr and Ulster Wildlife's Marine Engagements Officer Tori Moore gave presentations on marine protections in the north and south of Ireland and discussed what we need to do to better protect the Carlingford Lough as well as the wider waters around our island. Dain Mc Parland owner of Oceanauts Dive Club, gave a presentation showcasing the fascinating life to be found in Carlingford Lough.
20 MAY
World Bee Day at Buckroney
Buckroney Dunes Nature Reserve, Co Wicklow
This event was a collaboration between the Irish Wildlife Trust and National Parks and Wildlife Service. We explored the Buckroney Dunes Nature Reserve in county Co Wicklow to learn about the bees and the botanical life that live there. This site is a beautiful state owned nature reserve with a mixture of open dune areas and some native scrub. There are now terns nesting on the beachfront and the NPWS are working to protect these from disturbance. At our event heavy rain kept almost all bees away but we had a beautiful chorus of evening bird song once the rain stopped.
Curraghchase Forest Park in the sun
Photo: Seán Reidy
Damselfly
Photo: Seán Reidy
22 MAY
Biodiversity of Anne Valley
Anne Valley, Co Waterford
A beautiful walkway runs from near Dunhill Castle through the Anne Valley and down to the sea at Annestown. It is well worth a visit and allows for a peaceful gentle walk. For this event IWT Waterford Branch looked at the invertebrate life in the steam and ponds along the Anne Valley Walk as well as the bats that forage in this area.
22 MAY
Biodiversity Week Bat Event
Ballyseedy Woods, Tralee
Our Kerry Branch of the Irish Wildlife Trust delivered a talk about Ireland's bats at Tralee Library after which they headed to Ballyseedy Woods for a dusk bat walk. Ballyseedy Woods is a Special Area of Conservation protected for its native woodland.
24 MAY Citizen Science for your Community
Lough Muckno Park, Co Monaghan
Our Monaghan Branch delivered an event exploring the benefits of biological recording and citizen science and how to get started with this important action for nature. The event involved a talk in Castleblayney Library followed by a field trip in Lough Muckno Park where we encountered a variety of wild bee species in the old orchard found there. Lough Muckno Park is right within the town of Castleblaney and a fantastic place to learn about trees, insects and wetland wildlife.
"The week would not have been possible without the IWT branch committee volunteers who gave their time and energy to organise events. A big thank you to all who helped make a fantastic National Biodiversity Week happen"
24 MAY
The Role of Citizens in Caring for our Marine Environment
Fountainstown Beach, Co Cork
At this event we discovered the diverse marine life on and around this Blue flag beach with local and national marine ecologists. This event tied in with the EU Maritime Day Conference in Cork and the Cork Harbour Festival. On the field trip Grace Carr, IWT, informed the group about the rays and sharks that inhabit our waters and how well managed Marine Protected Areas can help them and other species, whilst Bernie Connolly, The Environmental Forum, explored how use of the diverse and delicate intertidal area and rockpools can impact on species and ecosystems and Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch, demonstrated some citizen science water testing and bioindicator monitoring methods.
25 MAY IWT People for Bees @ the Bots
The National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Co Dublin
IWT staff and Dublin Branch volunteers ran two wild bee events in the National Botanic Gardens. Through a combination of a presentation and two field trips around the gardens, this event communicated the biology and importance of wild Irish bees, what we can do to protect them, as well as how to identify Ireland's common bumblebees. The National Botanic Gardens is home to a beautiful organic fruit and veg garden as well as the wild Ireland section, where representations of rare Irish habitats have been skillfully created. Both areas are well worth a visit. Between rainshower our group encountered plenty of bumblebees to help us practise our new found id skills.
5Bee biology fieldtrip, National Botanic Gardens, Phot:o Gina Lovett
6Lough Muckno Park, Castleblayney
6 On the beach at the Fountainstown
5Bee biology fieldtrip, National Botanic Gardens Photo: Gina Lovett
NRL
ADVOCACY FOR NATURE
UPDATE By Grace Carr
Nature Restoration Law Update
IWT ACTING AS A VOICE FOR NATURE AT THE LEADERS’A FORUM
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have begun stakeholder engagement around the drafting of Ireland's Nature Restoration Plan, a document that will detail how we plan to meet our Nature Restoration Law targets. As part of this engagement, the Irish Wildlife Trust was invited by the NPWS to join the Leaders' Forum on Nature Restoration.
We alongside over 80 representatives across civil society, industry, government, business and research are part of the Leaders' Forum on Nature Restoration. The Leaders' Forum is a place for strategic dialogue, policy coordination and collaboration to help ensure the effective restoration of ecosystems under the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). There will be five meetings of the Leaders' Forum across 2025 and 2026 to help collectively shape Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan. IWT was represented at the first in person meeting on the 25th of March, a session which focussed on drafting the principles to underpin the plan, setting out a shared
vision and discussing the key risks and enablers. Further sessions will be held focusing on urban, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. At the first session, the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan addressed the room highlighting the critical need for nature restoration to address the many planetary crises we are facing.
An Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) has also been formed and tasked with providing advice to the Minister on the content of Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan. It has members from research, industry and civil society, including a representative from the Irish Environmental Network. Work from the Leaders' Forum will be fed up to the IAC and they will work closely with the National Parks & Wildlife Service and their Working Groups on specific aspects of the law. Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin has been appointed Chair of the IAC and she also addressed the first Leaders' Forum and helped to facilitate conversations on the day. Dr Ní Shúilleabháin previously chaired the Citizens
Assembly on Biodiversity and we believe her skills and experience will help shape an ambitious restoration plan.
As part of the public engagement process a series of workshops called “Community Conversations” is due to be delivered across Ireland this summer. The NPWS stated that these will be an opportunity for communities to have their opinions heard and local knowledge taken into account. Details of these workshops have yet to be shared and we have raised the issue that the Community Conversations need to be genuine and effective engagement with the public.
We hope that members of the Leaders' Forum will be able to collaborate with the Working Groups on specific targets of the NRL. Experts in specific ecosystems and habitats are among members of the Leaders' Forum and it is important that their views are heard in the drafting of actions to effectively restore degraded habitats and help conserve the species that call those areas home. We are pleased with the level of engagement so far on the drafting of the plan and we hope that this continues and that the views of the Leaders' Forum and the IAC are taken seriously and incorporated into the Nature Restoration Plan.
3Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan and Independent Advisory Committee Chair Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin at the leaders forum meeting.
NEWS MARINE
By Grace Carr
Marine Protection
EFFECTIVELY MANAGED MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AND SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
The IWT has been advocating for the creation of an ecologically coherent well managed network of Marine Protected Areas since the last decade. In this article our Marine Advocacy Officer Grace Carr explores the importance of managing MPAs appropriately.
Competition for space in the marine environment is at an all time high, with concepts of ‘Blue growth’ contributing to the expansion of marine industries and making this issue a hot topic on many countries' political agendas. Multiple industries are vying for space including; fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, shipping, drilling, mining, research and recreation. With so many different pressures, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) will play a vital role in conserving the global oceans as well as positively impacting social systems and providing vital ecosystem services. However, these MPAs must be located in the right areas and have effective site specific management plans in place, otherwise they will not reach their full potential for ecological protection.
Not all MPAs are the same. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorisations for protected areas. There are different levels of MPAs across the globe ranging from areas under ‘strict protection’ to areas that allow most activities to occur within them. Different zoning can be used within an MPA with different management techniques implemented for each zone. Unfortunately, the current levels of activities in the majority of global marine protected areas means that they do not fit within the definition of ‘protected’ and can
be described as ‘Paper Parks’. Paper parks are basically lines which have been drawn on a map and called a protected area, but no real protection is provided for the ecosystems within them. Factors which will influence a MPA’s effectiveness include management, enforcement, compliance and governance structure.
Fisheries control measures
MPAs will need to be used in conjunction with other measures as MPAs alone will not be sufficient for effective marine conservation. Other management strategies such as fisheries control measures will also be needed and some of these can be enshrined within an MPA’s management plan. Fisheries management authorities, such as the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency in Ireland, have a duty to collect records of a vessel's fish landings as well as information on the size of vessels and what gear they are using for a specific fishing method. All of this information can help with managing a protected area effectively and it should be a priority for the Irish Government to ensure sufficient financing of these important monitoring activities.
As well as assisting with effective MPA management, fisheries management measures can also conserve and benefit fisheries both ecologically and economically. Global analysis has shown that fully protected MPAs see fish populations recovering and the fisheries becoming more profitable with less effort needed. This also allows a more sustainable future for fisheries and for future generations of fishing families to make a livelihood from the work that has such strong cultural ties.
Effective management plans for inshore marine species
Ireland is lacking effective management plans for inshore marine species and this will result in huge negative impacts for the fishing community that rely on these species as well as the health of the inshore marine ecosystem. This issue should be a matter of urgency for the Irish Government. Part of this problem is large vessels taking unsustainable amounts of forage fish from the inshore area. The 6 nautical mile zone around our coast is important for many spawning fish populations which then ensure the health of the greater marine environment and provide food further up the marine food web. It is also crucial for smaller inshore vessels that cannot travel to offshore areas to fish. Fuel prices and dangerous conditions prevent smaller scale, local boats from venturing outside the 6nm area and this area should be restricted for those vessels and species specific fisheries management plans put in place.
Last year, the Government launched a
4Fishing boat on open waters near Dingle Peninsula coast. Photo: iStockphoto
public consultation on the ban of large vessels trawling in the inshore area. We are still waiting to hear the results of this consultation and no actions have been taken so far. In the meantime, unsustainable quantities of sprat are being taken from the inshore area which is having negative impacts on the wider marine environment as well as coastal communities.
EU Common Fisheries Policy
Another important fisheries control measure which would greatly benefit the conservation of the marine environment is better implementation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) to reward more sustainable fishing methods with greater shares of fish quotas. This would not only benefit the environment by promoting sustainable practices (for example methods that are more selective and less fuel intensive) but it would benefit local fishing communities and those out there who are striving to take care of the marine environment and the resources it can provide. Unfortunately, this part of the CFP
"Global analysis has shown that fully protected MPAs see fish populations recovering and the fisheries becoming more profitable with less effort needed"
has not been correctly implemented in Ireland and across the EU.
Stakeholder Engagement
There has been a lack of stakeholder engagement ahead of designating MPAs in Ireland. Our MPAs are designated under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives and there is no legal requirement in these laws to have prior engagement ahead of designation. This alienates communities and doesn’t foster a sense of transparency and collaboration. Fishing communities, researchers and NGOs are often left out of this process and this results in less effective MPAs. A ‘bottom up’ approach to designation and implementation is key to success. Fishing communities spend their lives at sea and will know their local marine area better than anyone. They need to be involved in the process and part of the management and monitoring of the area. This has been shown to be a success in other areas such as Lamlash Bay and Lundy
Island in the UK. At Lundy Island, a 3.3km2 area was designated as a reserve in 2003. By 2007, legal-sized and commercially important European lobsters (Homarus gammarus) were found to be 9% larger and 5 times more abundant within the area’s boundaries. Effective engagement with all stakeholders was key to this process. Researchers that work on a specific species or habitat should be included as they have dedicated their lives to the scientific analysis of the life history traits of certain species and ecological function of habitats. Environmental NGOs also dedicate their work to protecting the environment and have experts and specialists that should be involved. As we wait for new national MPA legislation we are calling for early and ongoing stakeholder engagement to be enshrined within it. Effective MPAs and sustainable fishing practices are two sides of the same coin and both are vital for environmental and socio economic protection.
EU POLICY
By Marion Jammet
UPDATE
"Elevated nutrient levels, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, are driving eutrophication – a process that causes excessive plants and algae growth, depleting oxygen levels and harming aquatic life. This has resulted in declines of species like mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies, which are key components of the aquatic food web and support species such as salmon, kingfishers, and otters"
Stepping up for our
Chrysolina fastuosa, also known as the deadnettle leaf beetle.
Photo: iStockphoto
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN EU FRESHWATER POLICY
In 2016, I started walking along the River Barrow, from Monasterevin to St. Mullins. Since then, exploring riverbanks and canals has become one of my favourite hobbies. The Grand Canal and the River Nore are among the walks I enjoy most. I love setting out from point A to Z, discovering new landscapes, and spending time identifying local plants as they change with the seasons.
As I have become more aware of environmental issues, I have also started to notice the growing pressures on our freshwater bodies — from agricultural pollution along the River Nore to threats facing protected species like the Irish whiteclawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) and the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) (1).
So when I came across the latest report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), revealing that 70% of European lakes, wetlands, and rivers are polluted — and that the situation is getting worse (2) — I felt compelled to dig deeper into these ecosystems and the policies designed to protect them.
How are our freshwater ecosystems really doing?
Ireland's freshwater ecosystems are facing significant challenges, with nutrient pollution from agriculture, wastewater, and urban runoff among the leading causes of declining water quality. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), just 50% of rivers and 69% of lakes are in satisfactory ecological condition, putting the health of our aquatic ecosystems at risk (3). Elevated nutrient levels, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, are driving eutrophication – a process that causes excessive plants and algae growth, depleting oxygen levels and harming aquatic life. This has resulted in declines of species like mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies, which are key components of the aquatic food web and support species such as salmon, kingfishers, and otters.
Globally, the Living Planet Index (LPI), provided by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), shows that freshwater
biodiversity is declining far faster than that in our oceans or forests. Habitat degradation through pollution or flow modification, overexploitation, invasive species and sand mining in rivers are among the threats affecting freshwater species. Conservation action often fails to target freshwater species or habitats, partly because the protection of freshwater environments often requires large-scale, multi-sectoral efforts (4).
A broad range of policies designed to safeguard freshwater ecosystems
In Ireland, most of our policies and legislation to protect freshwater ecosystems stem from a comprehensive set of cross-cutting policies and regulations developed at the European level. This makes it especially difficult for newcomers to understand how these policies interconnect — let alone evaluate their impact.
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the cornerstone of the European Union (EU)’s water policy. Its main goal is to achieve "good status" for all rivers, lakes, and groundwater bodies across the EU by 2027, using a river basin management approach. The WFD is complemented by other key directives, including the Groundwater Directive and the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Broader EU policies such as the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Nitrates Directive are also relevant.
Introduced as part of the European Green Deal, the Biodiversity Strategy and the NRL aim to reverse biodiversity loss and strengthen the resilience of freshwater ecosystems. The NRL sets binding targets to restore 30% of degraded freshwater habitats by 2030, escalating to 60% by 2040, and 90% by 2050. Furthermore, at least 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers must be restored by 2030 (5). This involves removing or modifying man-made barriers, such as dams, to improve river connectivity, thereby supporting migratory species and overall ecosystem health.
Nore River - May 2025
Photo: Marion Jammet
Another strong focus of the EU Green Deal is the better integration of water management policies. This is reflected in the requirements to integrate River Basin Management Plans (introduced under the WFD) into national restoration strategies, and in the revisions of the Groundwater Directive and the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. The Groundwater Directive aims to prevent and limit pollutants entering groundwater and is currently under review to address emerging pollutants and support the Green Deal's zero pollution ambition by 2050. Meanwhile, the recast of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in 2022 introduced tighter standards to better protect the environment from the adverse effects of untreated urban wastewater.
Given the impact of intensive agriculture on freshwater ecosystems, both the Nitrates Directive and the CAP play a crucial role.
The Nitrates Directive aims to reduce water pollution from agricultural sources, particularly nitrogen compounds from fertilizers and manure, and requires member states to create action programs to curb nutrient runoff. As part of its review, the European Commission is evaluating the Directive’s effectiveness in reducing nitrate pollution, its alignment with the EU’s commitments under the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the administrative and financial burdens associated with its implementation.
Over the years, the CAP has undergone several reforms to better protect nature and freshwater ecosystems. The current CAP (2023–2027) includes environmental conditionality measures such as the establishment of buffer strips along watercourses to reduce nutrient runoff, and the maintenance of minimum soil cover to prevent sedimentation in water bodies. It also introduces “eco-schemes” to incentivise farmers to adopt practices that
The European Court of Auditors has noted that agricultural policies remain inconsistently aligned with EU water objectives
inadequate treatment in sensitive areas. The Commission is currently reviewing the Irish government’s response.
contribute to environmental goals. Despite these reforms, the European Court of Auditors has noted that agricultural policies remain inconsistently aligned with EU water objectives (6).
Significant challenges
Current challenges observed across Europe include a poor implementation of the Water Framework Directive in many member states, with a notable lack of integration of biodiversity objectives into river basin management plans (7). Similarly, the effectiveness of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) varies markedly among member states, largely due to policy exemptions and the extensive flexibility permitted in its design. Another major concern is the insufficient coverage of protected areas. Recent findings from the BioFresh project reveal that many critical freshwater biodiversity sites remain inadequately protected. Approximately 23% of qualifying catchments lie entirely outside designated protected areas, and 73% have less than 20% overlap.
In Ireland, challenges include nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater treatment. While Ireland is one of three EU countries with a derogation under the Nitrates Directive - allowing farmers to keep denser herds, the derogation limit was reduced in 2024 for certain areas due to insufficient water quality improvements. Retaining the derogation has become a politically sensitive issue, and a vote on its renewal is expected in December 2025. A recent report by the EPA stressed that, despite some reductions, nitrogen concentrations remain too high in the southeastern half of the country (8), posing risks to drinking water quality and contributing to ecological degradation in rivers and estuaries. In addition, in November 2024, the European Commission issued a formal notice to Ireland for non-compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, citing
While recent developments—such as the requirement to develop National Restoration Plans under the NRL and the anticipated publication of the EU Water Resilience Strategy in June—offer some promise, the situation must be closely monitored. As this article was being finalized, the European Parliament voted in May on a draft report outlining its position on the forthcoming strategy. Unfortunately, the text downplays the role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in addressing Europe’s water crisis and weakens measures to tackle water pollution. Notably, it fails to support a complete phase-out of PFAS, commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” setting a concerning precedent in advance of the strategy’s official release.
REFERENCES
1. See “Swimming Upstream: One Man's Fight to Save the Atlantic Wild Salmon” by Deirdre Nuttall and Patsy Peril.
2. 'Europe's state of water 2024: the need for improved water resilience’. Available at: www.eea.europa.eu.
3. “Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024”. Available at www.epa.ie.
4. Living Planet Report 2020 - A deep dive into freshwater. Available at: https://wwfint.awsassets.panda. org/downloads/lpr_2020___deep_ dive_into_freshwater___spreads_ embargo_10_09_20_1.pdf?
5. Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration.
6. Special Report 20/2021: Sustainable water use in agriculture: CAP funds more likely to promote greater rather than more efficient water use. Available at: https://www.eca.europa.eu/.
7. The final sprint for Europe’s rivers - An NGO analysis of 2022-2027 Draft River Basin Management Plans. Available at: New report reveals most of Europe’s river basins will still be unhealthy in 2027Wetlands International Europe.
8. EPA (2025). Early insights indicator report: Nitrogen concentrations in selected major rivers, January-December 2024.
5 Nutrient enrichment on Bull Island - opposite to Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant - June 2024
Photo: Marion Jammet
NATURE RECOVERY NEWS
By Dolf D’hondt
COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO PROTECT LOCAL MARINE LIFE
Save our Sprat
Save Our Sprat is a recently organised group formed in response to the growing concern about the fishing of sprat in our inshore coastal waters. On the 18th of May, 250 concerned citizens and stakeholders attended a public meeting in Bantry and, a few weeks later, over 100 concerned citizens marched across Bantry Square to call for a moratorium on sprat fishing.
So what is sprat, and why is it so important? Sprat is a member of the herring family. It’s a small, silvery fish which grows to about 12 centimetres. For most of the year, sprat feeds on plankton in the open sea, but, from September to January, sprat gather in large numbers in our shallow coastal waters to spawn.
Whales, dolphins, porpoises, and seals feed on the sprat during the winter, when the sprat come together in huge numbers. Sprat are known as a forage fish because they are a very important food source for a lot of different marine species. Sprat is a vital food source for many seabirds and also commercially important fish like Cod and Pollack.
Sprat is a non-quota fish species which means that there is no limit to the amount of sprat that can be caught in any given year. This has led to a small number of Irish fishermen targeting sprat to a point where bird watchers, whale and dolphin groups, eco-tourism companies, angling organisations, and members of the general public, have raised serious concern about the negative impact that this is having on all marine life. Sprat is situated at the bottom
of the food chain; extracting this vital marine resource without restriction (in the manner that we have seen in recent years) may lead to a collapse in Irish coastal marine ecosystems.
In Ireland, we have about 2000 fishing vessels. Out of this number, we have about 30 boats that are fishing sprat; 10 of those being over 18 meters. Sprat is caught using a method called pair trawling, where two boats pull a large net between them. Everything between the boats ends up in the net. The standard net for sprat fishing is formally known as a “16 millimetre” net. This number refers to the measurement of the stretched diagonal of the mesh, which in reality means that the holes in the net are 8 millimetre by 8 millimetre squares.
"Sprat is situated at the bottom of the food chain; extracting this vital marine resource without restriction (in the manner that we have seen in recent years) may lead to a collapse in Irish coastal marine ecosystems"
"Over 100 concerned citizens marched across Bantry Square to call for a moratorium on sprat fishing"
An important note of concern is that the sprat is being caught not for human consumption but for processing into pellets for the salmon farm feed industry.
Save Our Sprat are looking for an immediate Moratorium on sprat fishing (a temporary halt) so that the sprat stock can recover, and independent scientific data can be gathered. Currently there is almost no scientific data on how much sprat we have in Irish waters.
If you would like to find out more please visit our website at www.saveoursprat.ie. There is also a link to our online petition on the website that you can sign. Please also follow us on facebook at Save-our-SpratBantry-Bay
5Save our Sprat march Bantry Square
Grasslands The
SHOWCASING SOME GREAT IRISH GRASSLANDS
Trail
Greater Knapweed in the Burren, Co Claire.
Photo Credit Maria Long
Early Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp coccinea at Sheskinmore.
Photo Credit: Emer Magee
BY DR MARIA LONG
Semi-natural grasslands are among the most threatened habitats in Ireland. Yet few would intuitively know this, given that Ireland is so grass-dominated. However, fields which have not been heavily modified for agriculture and hold a mix of native species are now quite rare, especially in certain parts of the country such as the east and south.
In order to try to raise awareness about the importance and the plight of semi-natural grasslands, and to allow people to visit and experience them, the Grasslands Trail has been set up, as part of the ‘Great Irish Grasslands’ initiative. There is a beautiful booklet available to download and a website where readers can find out more about sites near them: https://www. greatirishgrasslands.ie/the-grasslands-trail/. The
Great Irish Grasslands is a National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) led project, and the Grasslands Trail has been jointly developed with the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
The Grasslands Trail is a network of both public and private grasslands spread across the island of Ireland. All of the sites are managed sensitively, with nature conservation and grassland diversity in mind. Some are managed as public amenities; many are actively farmed. All are what we call ‘semi-natural’ (= nature-rich) and all are species-rich. They are a celebration of Great Irish Grasslands, as well as those who manage them so well.
Why are semi-natural grasslands important?
Fields which have not been heavily modified for agriculture and hold a mix of native species are now quite rare, especially in certain parts of the country such as the east and south
Nature-rich or semi-natural grasslands are hugely important for a number of reasons. For example, many invertebrate species need open habitats, or the edges between open and woody areas, to live, feed and reproduce. Just think of our butterfly species, for example – a majority need grasslands or other open areas. And of course insects are vitally important parts of the food chain, being essential for small mammals and birds, which in turn feed larger predators, such as owls, birds of prey and larger mammals. Thus species-rich semi-natural grasslands are integral parts of many food chains, and their conversion or loss leaves gaping holes.
Semi-natural grasslands, due to their diverse flora and generally sensitive management, will tend to have diverse and healthy soils. This means a healthier soil biota, and soils which function better in many ways, including water storage and filtration, and also carbon sequestration and storage. Some semi-natural grasslands are particularly important for carbon storage, such as floodplain grasslands, with recent research in the UK suggesting that these grasslands rival woodlands for carbon storage.
Semi-natural grasslands, due to their diverse flora and generally sensitive management, will tend to have diverse and healthy soils
It is also true to say that flower-rich grassy places are very enjoyable to be in, and give us a great sense of well-being. Particularly for Irish people, they are a link to our agricultural and pastoral cultural heritage. Many people are quite separated from farming and agriculture, perhaps now living city lives, but the ability to walk through flowery meadows or parks, or watch and smell hay being cut transports us to childhood memories.
Are grasslands threatened, and why?
4Goatsbeard flourishing since cutting regime altered at Tymon Park, Dublin
Photo Credit: Rosaleen Dwyer
6Irish Ladys Tresses orchid
Photo Credit: Oliver Lynch Milner
The National Parks and Wildlife Service carries out regular monitoring (approximately every six years) of a suite of just over 100 grassland sites across the country. Clearly this is just a small sample, but the data collected are detailed and repeatable, and so they allow us to detect change. This change might be in habitat quality or in quantity (i.e. area). The data are collected for six special grassland communities – these are listed on the EU Habitats Directive because they are particularly special and vulnerable.
These data have shown alarming results. In the period between 2007 and 2017, species-rich dry
calcareous grasslands (like those found in the Burren and on eskers) decreased in area by 31%. This is truly shocking. More recent surveys (though the data are still in draft format) show continuing losses.
Similarly, what was once a relatively ubiquitous grassland type, the lowland hay meadow, decreased by 28% between 2007 and 2017. Again, this is an alarming finding, and the losses continue.
What is causing these losses? Unfortunately for grasslands, they might be seen as somewhat of a ‘Goldilocks’. The key pressures which have been driving losses thus far are, in essence, too much and too little management. On the one hand, agricultural intensification, which typically involves fertilising, and often ploughing and reseeding, completely alters the plant communities, as well as the soils. On the other hand, abandonment is also a significant issue. Grasslands need management, and so total abandonment usually spells a slow death. Similarly, management that is too low or not appropriate can also result in negative change. Other threats of note include: inappropriate tree planting/forestry (note this threat is likely to grow significantly in terms of impact over the coming years as pressure mounts to plant more trees); lack of awareness of the importance of semi-natural grasslands, as well as how to identify them; and misguided conservation efforts – such as inappropriate tree planting, or the use of non-native/non-local seed.
Where are they found?
For those rare jewels that do survive – where are they found? The answer is all across Ireland. There is no county without great examples of naturerich grasslands. However there are definitely much larger areas in the north and west of the country, rather than in the south and east. In these latter areas, the soils are generally better, and so large areas have been altered to be used for intensive agricultural production.
In terms of the Grasslands Trail – it has sites stretching from the south-west tip of Ireland (e.g. Derrynane House and ‘Big Meadow’ in Glengarriff Nature Reserve) to the north-east (e.g. Ballycastle Golf Course and Drumnaph Nature Reserve). There are sites on the far west coast (e.g. Cross Loop Walk in Mayo, and Ballyteige Nature Reserve in Co. Clare), as well as near Dublin (e.g. Newbridge House and Farm, Tymon Park and Castletown House).
There are also a mix of publicly owned and easily accessible sites (such as Doneraile Estate and Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park) and private farmland. Some of these farms can be visited by request (e.g. at ‘The Rocks’ and Mountallen), whereas for others, they are private and have been included to allow everyone to appreciate and celebrate that fabulous grasslands exist on active farms too!
How will the trail help?
It is hoped that by visiting and spending time at some of these sites people will gain an understanding of their value. By experiencing what they have to offer and considering how they look and feel, and what they provide, they may think differently about them, and consequently make different decisions - whether that be how they manage their lawn/community spaces, or larger areas.
What is present on site? Will I get a guided tour/see signs?
This is a self-guided network – we provide some key details and general background in the trail booklet, then it’s up to you to explore and experience! There are occasional walks and talks and other events at these locations, and information can be found on some of those here: https://www.greatirishgrasslands.ie/events/. Readers are also advised to check websites for the individuation locations where those have been provided.
When should I visit?
Being grasslands, these sites are generally at their best in the summer months, but there is much to see and experience at any time of the year. We particularly recommend Slieve Carran Nature Reserve in Co. Clare in the spring, to catch the electric blue of the Spring Gentians, and we love ‘Big Meadow in Glengarriff Nature Reserve in autumn when it is a mass of purple due to the
Many invertebrate species need open habitats, or the edges between open and woody areas, to live, feed and reproduce
Grassland Site List
Devil’s-bit Scabious. Top tip – get to the mown sites before the mower does, e.g. Doneraile Estate, Birr Castle, etc.
How can I find out more?
The website www.GreatIrishGrasslands.ie has a ‘Where to learn more’ page, with some carefully selected places to deepen your knowledge. For example, on the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland’s (BSBI) ‘Irish Grasslands Project’ page, there is a superb collection of training tutorials, excellent for those who are willing to put in the time to improve their ID skills. If habitat management information is what you seek, we recommend the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website, and also Farming for Nature – again, you’ll find links at the above page.
You can also follow the conversation on social media – try using #GreatIrishGrasslands and #GrasslandsTrail
About the Author: Dr Maria Long works as an ecologist in the Scientific Advice and Research Directorate of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), and one of her main areas of work is grassland ecology. She has over 25 years of experience in ecological research, consultancy and public service. Some of her current work on grasslands includes providing scientific advice on the conservation of grasslands, as well as oversight of survey, monitoring and management for these habitats. She also aims to raise public awareness of the value of semi-natural grasslands.
Ballycastle Golf Course
Sheskinmore
Drumnaph
Lough Ree Farm
Mountallen
Clomantagh
Doneraile Estate
Tymon Park
Morgan’s North
Derrynane House
Newbridge House and Farm
lengarriff Nature Reserve
Rocks
Derreenatloghtan
Ballyteige
For the longest time the arrival and departure times of Loop Head’s summer visitors were very predictable. … Over the past decade, however, this timetable became rather erratic
Razorbill on the Great Saltee, County Wexford
Photo: Carsten Krieger
Ireland’s CoastalSummer
A SNAPSHOT OF SEABIRD LIFE ON LOOP HEAD BY CARSTEN KRIEGER
LVisitors
oop Head is a narrow headland in the south western corner of County Clare, and the first sign of spring appears here as early as January. The harbinger of better days is a white bird with stiff wings, a peculiar nose and inquisitive eyes. It’s the fulmar, a relative of petrels, shearwaters and albatrosses, and the first bird to return from the winter retreat on the open ocean. The other ocean travellers that spend the summer at Ireland’s coast - guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, gannets, Manx shearwaters and puffinsmake their re-appearance only several weeks later. During their winter break, which the birds use to recuperate and restore energy reserves depleted by the previous summer’s breeding efforts, the animals cover vast distances; some visit rich feeding grounds on the other side of the Atlantic or veer north towards the Arctic circle, while others travel south to the Mediterranean or even further to spend the winter months off the African coast.
For the longest time the arrival and departure times of Loop Head’s summer visitors were very predictable. Fulmars arrived in late January, stayed for about a week to check out and secure breeding sites, then disappeared again until early April. The other three breeding species on Loop Head - kittiwake, guillemot and razorbill - used to make their first visit in early March, hung around for a few days, then took off to come back in late April. Over the past decade, however, this timetable became rather erratic. Last year, for example, the first fulmars appeared before Christmas, many stayed at their nesting sites into mid January before leaving again, and some even never returned to sea. Guillemots arrived in early February, disappeared again, but were back, together with razorbills and kittiwakes, in late March, with mating being in full swing by mid April. It seems the birds’ winter break at sea is becoming shorter.
The fulmar, or to be precise, the northern fulmar - Fulmarus glacialis, was once a relatively rare bird, its distribution limited to a few colonies in remote parts of the north Atlantic, including Iceland and the islands of St. Kilda, off the coast of Scotland. It was on these islands where the fulmar got its name, fúll már, the old Norse for ‘foul gull’. This name refers to the bird’s rather unappetising defence tactic of spraying stomach oil onto potential predators. This smelly and sticky oil is stored in a special section of the fulmar's stomach called the proventriculus, and during long flights, the fulmar also uses the oil as an emergency ration, and during the breeding season, to feed its offspring if prey gets scarce.
In the early 20th Century the fulmar began to spread quickly across the north Atlantic and its numbers soared to over four million pairs. In the latter half of the 20th Century, these numbers started to decline again, and some estimates suggest that up to forty per cent of the north Atlantic population has been lost. In Ireland, however, fulmar numbers are somewhat stable. The latest breeding bird count in the year 2000 found close to 33,000 pairs, which confirmed a stable and even slightly growing population compared to previous counts in 1970 and the late 1980s.
The main reason for the fulmar's overall decline is thought to be plastic pollution. Studies in the North Sea have shown that over ninety-five per cent of all dead fulmars had plastic particles in their stomachs. The reason for this is the fulmar’s feeding habit. The birds are surface feeders, scooping up food from the ocean’s surface, often in mid-flight, and in the action it is easy to mistake floating plastic particles for food. In addition to plastic pollution, there are also the impacts of climate change and overfishing, both displacing or diminishing the food supply which is a particular problem for the kittiwake, a small gull and one of the world’s most threatened seabirds. It is estimated that there are eighteen million birds living in the northern hemisphere, and while this
5 Fulmars at Loop Head, County Clare Photo Credit Carsten Krieger
Like all birds, guillemots plan their fishing trips well; they know from experience where fish can be found at any given time but also take on information from their fellow birds and adjust their outings
accordingly
sounds like a decent number, kittiwake populations have declined by forty per cent since 1970. Looking at local numbers, the downward trend becomes even more obvious. The colony on Ireland’s Eye, off the Dublin coast, has lost fifty per cent of its breeding pairs, leaving only around four hundred pairs today.
Unlike the diving auks – the puffin, razorbill and guillemot –kittiwakes are, like the fulmar, surface feeders. They skim their prey from the water or plunge to grab a meal from just below the surface. During the winter, when fending for themselves only, kittiwakes can cover great distances to find food. In summer, when they have not only themselves but also hungry chicks to feed, their travelling time is limited, and they tend not to stray more than fifty kilometres from the coast. The distribution of the kittiwake’s prey, mainly sand lance, capelin and other small fish, depends on ocean temperature and ocean currents. Rising average temperatures associated with climate change can upset the balance that times the arrival of fish in coastal waters and the breeding season of the birds. Throw industrial-style fishing into the mix, and you end up with an area of empty ocean where plenty of fish are supposed to be. When this happens, the birds are in trouble.
For all summer visitors the breeding season properly begins in early May. Unlike the fulmars who just scrape together pebbles they can find, Kittiwakes build a proper nest on narrow cliff ledges, which traditionally consists of seaweed and grass, but more recently plastic and pieces of fishing rope or net are incorporated as well. When nesting material is difficult to come by, kittiwakes have no problem stealing bits and pieces from neighbouring nests, which often results in noisy scuffles.
While the fulmars’ and kittiwakes’ nesting behaviour is precarious enough, the guillemot takes this life on the edge another step further. A guillemot colony shares many similarities with a New York subway at rush hour: the birds are tightly packed into a limited space, noise levels are high, and there is a constant coming and going. Consequently, the guillemot has the smallest breeding territory of any bird, around 18 centimeters across, or as far as the bird can stretch its neck to tussle with its neighbours. Under these conditions, it would be futile to build a nest, so guillemots lay their single egg directly onto the rock surface. This
speckled egg is rather narrow, pointed and somewhat pearshaped, and one theory suggests that this shape makes it less likely for the egg to accidently roll off the ledge. The egg is laid in early May, and the guillemot parents share incubation duties so both can go on fishing trips to keep their strength up.
When observing a guillemot colony, it is striking that there is always a crowd of birds on the water as well as on the cliffs. This aggregation on the water is the guillemots’ information hub. The birds that are about to go on a fishing trip sit and watch returning birds, taking the direction from which these birds return as an indicator of where good hunting grounds may be on the day. Like all birds, guillemots plan their fishing trips well; they know from experience where fish can be found at any given time but also take on information from their fellow birds and adjust their outings accordingly. They know exactly what they are doing and leave nothing to chance.
Just like the other species, guillemots are also affected by decreasing fish numbers. Ever more often, both parents have to go fishing at the same time, leaving the chick unprotected, and even then they are often not able to catch enough food to rear the young bird. The outcome is a higher mortality rate among the young guillemots. On Loop Head, numbers have toppled from five thousand in the year 2000 to four thousand in 2010 and just under three thousand in 2021.
The Loop Head colonies still appear busy during the summer months, the squabbles, shrieks and growls can be heard from far away, and the cliffs seem to be alive with shifting black and white bodies of birds. But comparing the colonies of today with the colonies 20 years ago, the cliffs seem to be considerably more empty.
About the Author: Carsten Krieger is a photographer, author, dabbling filmmaker and environmentalist based on the Loop Head Peninsula. If you want to read more about birds and other wildlife, please visit his blog www.theatlanticedge.ie or buy his books ‘Wild Ireland’ and the upcoming ‘10.000 Years Deep - The Story of Ireland’s Peatlands’.
5 Kittiwakes and Guillemots nesting on narrow cliff ledges
Photo: Carsten Krieger
Sting in theTail
WHAT DO WASPS DO?
TIM CLABON
Once the weather warms up and we spend more time outdoors, we often become more aware of the wildlife around us, or perhaps we attract them.
Almost guaranteed to stoke fear at any picnic or BBQ, wasps are both feared and hated. This may be due to a lack of understanding about these fascinating insects. But what do we mean by wasp?
Almost certainly when people talk about wasps they are thinking about the social wasp which belongs in the Vespidae family of the Order ‘Hymenoptera’. Species of social wasp common in Ireland are Vespula vulgaris, known as the common wasp and Vespula germanica, known as the European wasp or German wasp. This Order ‘Hymenoptera’ not only contains social wasps, but includes ants, bees and both solitary and parasitic wasps. Out of this group we view ants as being at the top of insect evolution, bees as valuable pollinators and producers of honey, yet the wasp is vilified.
5 Vespula germanica, one of the common species of social wasp
How to identify a wasp
Wasps are fairly easy to identify, though differentiating between each of the 14 species of vespidae can be tricky. Social wasp species can be distinguished by markings on their face, thorax and abdomen. Queens, males and workers can also be differentiated by size, if you are willing to get close. Other species of insects, such as hoverflies, some day flying moths, and even a beetle have evolved to mimic wasps in appearance, and so can be mistaken for wasps. But nine times out of ten if it is buzzing around your food (particularly sweet smelling food) it is a wasp.
Being social, wasps live in a nest. The queen, who would have overwintered somewhere sheltered, awakens from hibernation in the spring. After building up her energy, she looks for a suitable place for a nest. This may be in an old burrow in a bank or a tree crevice. But, sheds, attics and wall cavities are also ideal. Using wood fibre and saliva, a honeycomb-like structure is built (often with a thin protective wall), and in each ‘cell’ of the nest an egg is laid. These hatch into wasp larvae in about 6 days, and pupate into adult wasps. Overall, it takes about 28-48 days from egg to adult, depending on environmental conditions. With workers now helping to build the nest and forage for food, the queen stays in the nest laying eggs for the rest of her life. The workers live for about three weeks as adults, but the queen is constantly laying eggs to replenish her workforce. The workers are unable to process much food, but get energy from nectar and honeydew, and protein from insects and dead animals. They bring this raw food back to the nest to feed to the larvae, which in turn provide them with a blob of nutritious goo which contains all the sustenance the worker wasp needs. This is called trophallaxiswhere there is an exchange of regurgitated food among social insects.
In late summer the queen produces fertile female and male wasps. The male wasps do not remain within the nest, but hang around nearby for the chance to mate with a new queen as they leave the nest. These females, once mated, hibernate over winter, to repeat the process the following year. The original queen dies, and the nest breaks down.
Why do we fear/hate wasps?
Wasps can be described as being synanthropic, having learnt to live alongside humans. They readily forage in and around people but it is mostly the sting which
Almost certainly when people talk about wasps they are thinking about the social wasp which belongs in the Vespidae family of the Order
‘Hymenoptera'
drives our fear. The sting can be quite painful, however it can be more serious for those with allergies, the very young or old or if stung in the mouth.
The sting of the wasp is essentially a weaponised ovipositor (egg layers), found in parasitic wasps, and evolved over time to become a venom delivery system when the wasp we know today diverged from its common ancestor. This is also why only female wasps sting.
The sting provides two purposes. The first is to immobilize prey which the wasp is hunting to make it easier to handle and carry. The second (which concerns us) is to defend itself or its nest. The venom itself contains a cocktail of amino acids, peptides and amines. Unlike the bee which has a barbed sting, wasp stingers are smooth, so it can deliver multiple stings.
But what are they good for?
» Pest Control - Wasps are an apex insect predator. They are primarily predatory,
5 Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) searching for nectar on a flower
Photo: iStockphoto
feeding on many insects that would be viewed by some as pests.
» Population Regulation - Through the hunting of other species wasps keep populations of other insects in check, functioning as part of a balanced ecosystem.
» Pollinators - Wasps visit flowers to gather nectar and in doing so they pollinate the plants they visit.
» Decomposers - Whilst it is a small role they play, they chew up deadwood to make their nest and sometimes feed on carrion hence partaking in the breakdown of dead material.
» Bioindicators - Their presence is a useful indicator of a functioning ecosystem. Their decline however is a warning.
Living with wasps
Some people just attract wasps don’t they! Wasps like sweet smelling things, so drinking a can of a sugary drink or wearing sweet smelling perfume (and sometimes
even sweating) can attract wasps. It is said bright colours are also attractive to wasps. Swatting a wasp away is likely to annoy it, and like any social species, annoy one, annoy them all. If a wasp is stressed it can release a pheromone that alerts nearby wasps from its colony that it needs help.
For the most part, if wasps are left alone they will leave you alone. However, in some cases having a wasp nest in or near your home may not be practical. If a colony of honey bees settles in your garden, usually a local beekeeper will move them for you; however this is not the case with wasps. It is best to get a professional to look at the best options. Don’t try to remove the nest yourself, else you will likely end up having up to 10,000 upset and angry wasps looking at you.
Wasp stings peak from late summer to autumn. This coincides with the period when the queen stops laying eggs, so there are no larvae to feed (or larval excretions to feed on). So wasps turn their attention to
feeding on sweet sugary things, bringing interactions with us more likely.
If a wasp lands on you, allow it to leave in its own time or gently brush it away. Don’t wave wildly as this is more likely to be taken as a threat, increasing the risk of being stung. If you disturb a wasp nest, move slowly away.
Is that wasp following me?
Yes, it probably is. There are two reasons why a wasp will follow you: 1) You smell interesting and could be food; or 2) it is wondering what you are doing in its territory close to the nest. In both cases, move slowly away (without flailing your arms around), and the wasp will lose interest and fly off.
Not all that stings
The social wasp evolved from a common ancestor of all wasps, dating back to 260-270 million years ago. The first recognisable wasp dates back perhaps to 235 million years. It is thought the first stinging wasp appeared 200 million years ago. So not all wasps (the majority) actually sting. Species of parasitic wasps have ovipositors which can be mistaken for stings, and nasty ones at that! The Sabre Wasp (in the Ichneumonidae family) has an impressive ovipositor, as do some of the sawflies. These creatures actually use the “sting” to lay eggs in wood, or under bark. Yet, their appearance can be alarming, particularly if people feel they are chasing them (which they are not, but they can fly erratically when alarmed). Other species of Ichneumonid wasps parasitize other insects such as caterpillars, some are the causes of galls in plants. But each plays a valuable role in nature.
Wasp stings peak from late summer to autumn. This coincides with the period when the queen stops laying eggs, so there are no larvae to feed (or larval excretions to feed on).
So wasps turn their attention to feeding on sweet sugary things, bringing interactions with us more likely
If we can accept the honeybee as a friend, perhaps it's time to accept the wasp as a friend as well, or perhaps as a guardian of nature itself.
RESOURCES
Jianhua Gong, Hai Yuan, Zhao Gao, Fengqi Hu, (2019) Wasp venom and acute kidney injury: The mechanisms and therapeutic role of renal replacement therapy, Toxicon, Volume 163, p. 1-7,https://doi. org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.03.008.
Brock, R.E., Cini, A. and Sumner, S. (2021), Ecosystem services provided by aculeate wasps. Biol Rev, 96: 1645-1675. https:// doi.org/10.1111/brv.12719
Eaten. E.R.(2021) ‘Wasps the Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect’ Princeton, University Press.
IBILLY FLYNN
A NEW CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMME TO MONITOR INSECT NUMBERS
n the 1970s and early 80s, my father drove a yellow Volkswagen Variant - Texas Yellow was the exact colour. Back then, rural driving came with additional tasks. Aside from being constantly on the alert for cavernous potholes and the occasional blown-up bridge, during the summer months drivers had to clear enormous quantities of deceased flying insects from the front of their vehicles in order to keep their windscreens transparent, headlights functioning adequately, and their registration numbers readable. Being a habitually bold child, the author was the recipient of many a punishment detail. Amongst these in the summer months was the cleaning of the front of the elderly VW in order to keep it
From May to September 2025, Irish motorists can become important Citizen Scientists by taking part in bugsplat recording as they travel
legal. I will never forget the massive accumulations of invertebrate remains that required removal. With recognisable wings, legs, and no small amount of other assorted gore, I often wondered if this was the insect equivalent of a recent battleground.
Fast forward forty-odd years and I once again live in my native border county. It’s my responsibility still to clean the family’s vehicles but the task has been of late much easier. The dead bugs just aren’t there in anything like the numbers of yore. This isn't news. In fact, it’s become something of a regularly used illustration of how our invertebrate numbers appear to have crashed in recent years. Last year though, I got the distinct feeling that I was seeing more bugs than in previous years. This spring, the same. Was this too much to hope for, or an example of unreliable anecdotal evidence with an inherent nostalgic bias? A couple of weeks before penning this, a well-known bird expert told me that he had not only noticed more volant bugs this year but also had been required to clean his windscreen of their remains between jobs. This, he’d not had to do for years. Had I noticed the same? It got me wondering if there might be some way that this could be measured and tested. A week later I heard about the Bugs Matter project.
Buglife UK, a long-established invertebrate conservation group, in conjunction with the Kent Wildlife Trust, has taken on the cars vs
This could be the first signs of positive outcomes from some conservation measures that have been instigated over the last few years. A significant one of these was the banning of neonicotinoid insecticides in the UK in 2017
bugs question and in a very clever way. It starts with an App, of course. Users download the Bugs Matter app to their phone. They then clean the front number plate (unless their parents have already made them do this) and start their journey. At the end of the trip, the recorder counts the number of ‘bugsplats’ on the number plate and uploads a photograph to the project website via the app. This gives the project team a huge amount of data, including length and duration of journey, vehicle speed and locations. This information can be used to ‘smooth’ out variables such as different habitat types and prevailing weather conditions. As Citizen Science projects go, this has been a popular and effective one. In 2024, nearly 9,000 journeys were logged amounting to over 760,000km of UK roads travelled and bugsplats counted.
The Bugs Matter app Photo: www.buglife.org.uk
speculated that this could be the first signs of positive outcomes from some conservation measures that have been instigated over the last few years. A significant one of these was the banning of neonicotinoid insecticides in the UK in 2017. Although ‘emergency’ use of these has been allowed in the intervening years, the UK government has indicated that no further use of these broad-spectrum pesticides will be permitted.
RESOURCES & APP
The Bugs Matter app is available for free for both iPhone and Android on the Apple App Store and from Google Play.
So what is the verdict? So far, the results have been pretty grim. Between 2021 and 2024, the amount of flying insects in the UK have fallen by 62.5%. However, between 2023 and 2024, the rate of decrease has appeared to have slowed. There is some hope that this might represent the start of an upward trend in flying invertebrate numbers. Paul Hetherington, the media representative for the project, told us that while this is early days, this could be the start of a cyclical trend which might forecast an upward trajectory of insect numbers. When asked why this might be, he
Now here’s the big news – the Bugs Matter project has now been extended to all of Ireland (previously participation was only possible in Northern Ireland). So, from May to September 2025, Irish motorists can become important Citizen Scientists by taking part in bugsplat recording as they travel. The Irish Wildlife Trust would like to encourage its motoring members to download the app and play their part in this insect conservation effort. See the box below for details on how to get involved. You will have to clean your number plate though. Even if you don’t think that’s fair.
https://www.buglife.org.uk/ get-involved/surveys/bugsmatter/ The Buglife Bugs Matter Project Page https://cdn.buglife.org.uk/ 2025/04/Bugs-Matter2024-Report.pdf The 2024 Report on the Bugs Matter Citizen Science Survey
https://www.gov.uk/ government/news/ complete-ban-on-beekilling-pesticides-movesforward DEFRA press release, 21 December 2024.
BY ANNE SUNDERMANN
Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) is a bane to farmers, much maligned for its toxicity to livestock.
Ragwort’s toxic deterrent prevents most insects from treating the plant as a handy meal. If viewed through a different lens, this common wildflower serves as an elegant example of the adaptability of plants to ensure survival in the face of consumption by insect and mammal herbivores.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
While it may look like an ordinary field weed, ragwort has extraordinary properties—mostly toxic. Specifically, ragwort contains toxins known as pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which are naturally occurring secondary metabolites of plants (including species in families such as Fabaceae, Boraginaceae, and Asteraceae, which includes ragwort). Unlike primary metabolites, which have essential metabolic contributions to nutrition and reproduction, secondary metabolites are not necessary for survival but enhance how the plant interacts with its environment, for example, by boosting defence capabilities.
That these secondary metabolites are not fundamental to survival allows a little breathing room for genetic diversity, growth, and development. Research by Firn and Jones proposed that “selection favours plant lineages with broad biosynthetic capability because it is these lineages that are more likely to ‘invent’ effective, novel toxic compounds and hence gain strong protection from herbivorous enemies.”
To date, researchers have identified more than 660 types of PAs from an estimated 6,000 plants; approximately 120 of these PAs are toxic to the liver (Lu et al., 2024). Although, thankfully, most grazing animals will avoid ragwort, ingestion of PAs can result in chronic, progressive liver failure.
Red Flags and Amber Cautions
As the ragwort developed its chemical arsenal, the cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) co-evolved to develop the capabilities to adapt PA for its own purposes. The life cycle of the cinnabar moth is similar to many other species, with the adult moth carpeting the underside of ragwort leaves with batches of eggs. After hatching, the larva, or caterpillar, eats the leaves of the host ragwort, building strength through several moults.
Because the ragwort is toxic, it would be
Toxic Relationship: Ragwort and Cinnabar Moth
LEARNING MORE ABOUT SYMBIOSIS
The moth’s caterpillars evolved the ability to digest and assimilate the alkaloids, and in turn, use it as a chemical defence to promote its own survival
expected that the cinnabar moth caterpillars would have a high mortality. Instead, the moth’s caterpillars evolved the ability to digest and assimilate the alkaloids, and in turn, use it as a chemical defence to promote its own survival. Thus protected, the caterpillar enters its pupal cocoon stage, overwintering below ground before emerging as adult moths in summer. Protective colouration, such as the caterpillar’s bright yellow and black stripes, wave a caution flag to prospective predators. Likewise, the adult cinnabar moth displays red and black patches on its wings as a danger signal.
It’s Complicated: Symbiosis
When organisms interact over the long term, they can develop biological relationships such as symbiosis. There are several different subcategories of symbiosis, including mutualism (both species benefit), commensalism (one species benefits, the other is neutral), and parasitism (one species benefits to the detriment of the other). In this case, the cinnabar moth converts the toxin found in ragwort to its own benefit, namely food, and gains a chemical defence against predators. In addition, researchers have found that PAs stimulate egg laying in adult cinnabar moths. For the ragwort, there’s not much upside. There is little benefit to this form of parasitism, which is known as herbivory, that is, the
consumption of plant components by an insect or animal. Herbivory, according to Schowalter, is “a key ecosystem process that reduces biomass and density of plants or plant materials, transfers mass and nutrients to the soil or water column, and affects habitat and resource conditions for other organisms.”
Evolution of a Chemical Defence
It is this transfer of nutrients (and potential energy) that provides an evolutionary crux for the development of herbivory. According to Futuyma: “Terrestrial biodiversity is dominated by plants and the herbivores that consume them, and they are one of the major conduits of energy to higher trophic levels” (i.e., the food chain).
Research has shown that plant species evolve responses to escape consumption from herbivores. Chemical defences such as PAs are just one very effective, and potentially deadly, response. The ensuing advantage enables the plant species to survive. In turn, the adaptation of the cinnabar moth promotes its survival. Biological diversity, according to Firn and Jones, is “underpinned by chemical diversity, consequently the principles of evolution must apply to chemical diversity in organisms.” Throughout evolution, various species have addressed similar challenges across quite different ecosystems, and more than a few arrived at similar solutions. The cinnabar moth is
Insects are the primary herbivores in forest ecosystems and may account for the bulk of herbivory in grasslands, even though vertebrate grazers are more conspicuous
not alone in adapting and exploiting toxic PAs. For example, the tiger moth (Arctia caja), orchid bees (tribe Euglossini), bella moth (Utetheisa ornatrix), and a few species of beetles and frogs, have developed tolerance to PAs and break down the plant toxins for their own use, whether it be chemical defence, mate signalling and selection, and more.
Plants and their herbivores, especially insects, account for more than half of the described species and play overwhelmingly important ecological roles, according to Futuyma and colleagues. Herbivory has been shown to impose natural selection on plants, including habitat, laying the ground for biodiverse ecosystems.
”Insects,” states Schowalter, “are the primary herbivores in forest ecosystems and may account for the bulk of herbivory in grasslands, even though vertebrate grazers are more conspicuous. Herbivory influences the stability of an ecosystem substantially.” Interspecies relationships such as symbiotic relationship between the ragwort plant and the cinnabar moth contribute to the health and stability of forest and grassland ecosystems.
RESOURCES
Cheng, D., van der Meijden, E., Mulder, P.P.J. et al. Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Composition Influences Cinnabar Moth Oviposition Preferences in Jacobaea Hybrids. J Chem Ecol 39, 430–437 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10886-013-0257-4
Ehrlich, P.R., & Raven, P.H. Butterflies and Plants: A Study in Coevolution. Evolution 18 (4), 1 December 1964, 586–608, https://doi. org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.1964. tb01674.x
Futuyma, D.J., & Agrawal, A.A., Macroevolution and the biological diversity of plants and herbivores, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106 (43) 1805418061, https://doi.org/10.1073/ pnas.0904106106 (2009).
Hartmann, T. Chemical ecology of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Planta 207, 483–495 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/ s004250050508
The Wildlife Trusts. Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae. https:// www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlifeexplorer/invertebrates/moths/ cinnabar. Accessed 2 May 2025.
Lu YS, Qiu J, Mu XY, Qian YZ, Chen L. Levels, Toxic Effects, and Risk Assessment of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Foods: A Review. Foods. 13(4):536 (2024). doi: 10.3390/foods13040536
Pagare, Saurabh & Bhatia, Manila & Tripathi, Niraj & Bansal, Y.K. Secondary metabolites of plants and their role: Overview. Curr Trends Biotechnol Pharmacy 9, 293-304 (2015).
3Adult cinnabar moth with bright red warning colours.
Photo: iStockphoto
3A cinnabar moth caterpillar feeding on a ragwort plant.
Photo: iStockphoto
5Wren - Courtesy of Deirdre Webb
BY GORDON D’ARCY - CURATOR
EMERGENCE
- Celebrating the Burren’s flora and fauna
Smooth-surfaced stones are frequently used for art, often wildlife art. Images painted in eye-catching, attractive colours are often used as entrance markers and door-stops or placed indoors on window sills or mantle pieces.
Though acknowledging this tradition, my recent exhibition (May 2025) of stone art, EMERGENCE, in the Burren College of Art, is fundamentally different.
The title derives from the reality that all life in the Burren either emanates from or is connected to this extraordinary limestone landscape. Fossil traces on the rock surface point to the region’s primordial origins while fissured surfaces and scattered fragments indicate episodes of glacial scouring and erosion. Growing out from the fissures, decorating the pristine grassland or clinging to outcrops, the extravagant limestone flora epitomises the concept of ‘emergence’. Perching on drystone walls, skulking in the hazel scrub or wintering out in the turloughs and caves, the diverse fauna does the same. Some of the art pieces recognise the dependency of humans on the raw material of limestone - in the building of forts, tower houses and the remarkable drystone walls that typify the region.
Though depicted on their surfaces, the images ‘emerge’ from the stones, creating an atmosphere of intrinsic connection rather than one of painted superficiality. The media used are mostly coloured pencil and oil pastel, built up by layering. Acrylic touching has also been applied in a few circumstances. The overall aim is to soften rather than emphasise the images.
The seventy stones that comprise the exhibition are set on wooden plinths and easels and arranged in a random fashion in the spacious gallery.
The moth’s caterpillars evolved the ability to digest and assimilate the alkaloids, and in turn, use it as a chemical defence to promote its own survival
3HairstreaksCourtesy of Deirdre Webb E
46 Emergency
The haiku verse accompanying each of the exhibits is presented as complimentary art, in a literary genre. In its three-line, seventeensyllable structure, it is designed to give poetic expression to each of the images. While adhering to the normal (Japanese) format the concise wording also aims to explore the ‘revelation of essence’ by way of Gerard Manley Hopkins concept of ‘inscape’.
Ultimately EMERGENCE implies renewal and even hope, invaluable positives in the face of species loss and habitat diminishment in our rapidly changing world.
SUMMER Hot Tuna
BY GRACE MCNICHOLAS
Ireland is unlikely to be the first place that springs to mind when you think of tuna. Most people associate the species with the warmer climes of Spain and Japan, which is reasonable considering the association to both Mediterranean seafood and Far Eastern sushi markets. Unfortunately, human appetite for the species alongside advances in industrial fishing technology have led to their overexploitation since the early-2000s. As a result, Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), hereafter referred to as ABFT, populations plummeted. Yet as we will discover in this article, efforts are well underway to
EXPLORING ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA MIGRATION
conserve this species. To aid this process, it is essential to understand their lifeways.
The ecology of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
ABFT are the largest of the tuna species. They can grow to over 3 meters in length and weigh upwards of 600kg. ABFT are voracious predators, and can swim at speeds of up to 70 km per hour in short bursts. They have a broad thermal tolerance due to regionally endothermic properties, meaning they can regulate the temperature of certain areas of their body, including their eyes, brain and swimming muscles, enabling them to tolerate both very cool (5°C) and very warm temperatures (30°C).
At the start of this century, overfishing led to the species vanishing from their historic foraging grounds
Atlantic bluefin tuna
Photo: Josh Wilson
within the Irish marine ecosystem. This culminated in 2009 with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing ABFT as ‘Endangered’. This sounded the alarm to fisheries managers to take immediate action. In response, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) implemented stricter regulations. These included drastic cuts in catch quotas, curtailed fishing during spawning season, and increases in the minimum size of fish that could be caught, thereby giving younger tuna an opportunity to mature and reproduce. These measures have paid off. As of 2021, ABFT were officially downgraded to ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List, reflecting their growing numbers and marking a significant conservation success story.
Monitoring tuna in Ireland
Having disappeared from Irish waters, ABFT have recently begun returning each summer and autumn. Although Ireland doesn’t have a fishing quota for the species, meaning they cannot be caught and landed, a scientific catch-and-release fishery was introduced in 2019. Known as the ‘Tuna CHART’ programme, this collaborative effort, involving Inland Fisheries Ireland (Iascach Intíre Éireann) and the Marine Institute (Foras na Mara), runs annually from July 1st to November 12th. It allows anglers the chance to hook this ‘bucket list’ species before releasing it back into the wild. More than just a thrill, this fishery is a valuable citizen science initiative, as it allows for the gathering of valuable data on the size and location of the tuna encountered. Identification tags, provided by ICCAT, are attached to the fish when caught. Cheap and easy to deploy, these markers are valuable for tracking the tunas’ movement patterns if they are caught again. Given that ABFT are highly migratory—capable of swimming tens of thousands of kilometres a year— understanding where they go, along with the study of what drives their movements, is key to managing the species’ long-term survival.
To get a clearer picture of tuna movements across space, researchers are increasingly using more sophisticated means to follow their migration patterns. Electronic tags, which function like a smartwatch, are now being used. Since ABFT spend much of their time diving to forage, sometimes as far as 1 kilometre down, traditional GPS tags do not work well as the fish do not resurface often enough to connect to overhead satellites. Instead, scientists use ‘pop-up archival satellite tags’, which record data on light levels and depth pressure throughout the year. After a specific time has elapsed, the tags detach from the fish and float to the surface. Data is then transmitted to satellites and stored for later analysis. This method offers remarkable insight into the lives of these elusive predators. Since 2016, the Marine Institute has deployed over one hundred of these tags in Irish waters, helping to unravel the complex migration patterns of ABFT in an effort to support their ongoing management.
Where do Irish tuna go?
At the heart of my PhD lies a central question - where
ABFT are voracious predators, and can swim at speeds of up to 70 km per hour in short bursts
do Irish ABFT go and why? With support from the Marine Institute Cullen Scholarship, I have spent the past four years utilising electronic tagging datasets to help answer this question. I have identified where fish tagged in Ireland migrate to in the year after capture. My analysis revealed some interesting patterns. Irish ABFT travelled to varying locations, including the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean Sea and almost as far as Canada. Several individuals were found to return to Ireland a year after tagging. However, in 2019, some tuna travelled towards Iceland when prior trends suggested their return to Ireland. Why? This is a complicated question to answer, given that the ocean is a highly varied and dynamic environment. Utilising environmental data, such as Sea Surface Temperature (SST), wave height, ocean depth and more, I was able to compare the different conditions between where the tagged fish were versus where they were not. This modelling process allowed me to identify the optimal conditions for their presence: an SST of between 15-18°C alongside specific ocean upwellings, which indicate the presence of nutrient rich waters and therefore an abundance of prey. These findings explain not just where the fish go, but why, and may help forecast ABFT movements in a world experiencing rapid change to its climate.
The future of tuna in Ireland
It is likely the individuals travelling towards Iceland were responding to a marine heatwave during 2019, when sea surface temperatures rose above their preferred range. Temperature spikes are becoming more common and are expected to increase both in frequency and intensity as a result of human-induced climate change. This suggests we may see changes in how often ABFT appear in Irish waters. While their management has improved significantly in the past 16 years, their return to historic foraging grounds off the Irish coast should not be taken for granted. ABFT are both ecologically and economically important to Ireland, helping to regulate the population of other species whilst bringing in revenue through the catch-and-release fishery. To ensure their long-term survival, it is essential that we continue to learn about and forecast how they respond to a changing climate in the decades ahead.
This research was a collaborative project funded through the Marine Institute Cullen Scholarship. ‘Seasonal variability of high-latitude foraging grounds for Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)’ can be read openly online at the journal Diversity and Distributions.
About the Author: Grace McNicholas is a marine ecologist interested in how the environment shapes the movements of marine species through space and time. She is a final year Marine Institute-funded PhD candidate in the Zoology Department in Trinity College Dublin, studying the ecology of Irish tuna. Grace holds a BSc in Conservation Biology and Ecology from the University of Exeter (2015) and an MSc in Marine Environmental Management from the University of York (2018).
1. Sparrow feeding by Deirdre Macklin
2. Gannett by Liam Reddall
3. Kingfisher by Ryan Williams
4. Field Mouse by Paul Lowen
5. Common Lizard by Megan Gilchrist
COMPETITION
For this season’s members only competition you have a chance to win a copy of Insect Portraits, by Lisa Clancy, or one of our organic IWT t-shirts featuring our new logo (as seen here)
INSECT PORTRAITS
BY LISA CLANCY
Published by Mayo Books Press
Insect Portraits is a captivating collection of portraitstyle photographs that reveals the remarkable ‘personalities’ of Irish insects. Quirky and fascinating prose accompanies each portrait. From bomb-sniffing moths to bacteria threatening to feminise entire insect populations, and flies that have lost their ability to hunt yet still need to present a dead insect as a nuptial gift –along with the ingenious, almost comical strategies they’ve developed to overcome this evolutionary misstep – this collection promises to transform how you see insects, if you’re not already a fan.
Entry instructions;
If you choose the t-shirt, tell us your size preference.
To win one of these great prizes just answer this questionAre the toxic alkaloids found in ragwort primary or secondary metabolites?
This is an IWT members only competition. Send your answer, name, address, and prize preference (the book OR a t-shirt) to magazinecomp@ iwt.ie by 1st August 2025.
