A rare butterfly previously feared extinct in Northern Ireland has been discovered in County Fermanagh.

The Small Blue Butterfly (Cupido minimus) was discovered by a surveyor from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) while she was assessing the condition of the flower-rich plant communities in an Area of Special Scientific Interest, just west of Derrygonnelly.

Bobbie Hamill praised land owners in that special area for grazing in a sustainable manner and allowing the Small Blue Butterfly to breed.

She said: “Not only is the Small Blue our smallest butterfly, but unlike other members of its family it is inconspicuous and can easily be overlooked. Rather than blue, the upper wing is actually dull brown in colour, fringed by white hairs with a dusting of blue scales at their base and the underside is silver blue with dark speckles. In addition, at little more than 20mm, it is not surprising that these beautiful little butterflies are difficult to spot. We would especially like to commend the landowners and managers in the area for continuing to graze these special sites in a sustainable manner, creating the ideal conditions for plants to flourish and the Small Blue and other important invertebrates to breed.

“It is still possible that other colonies of this tiny butterfly are surviving in suitable quiet corners of Fermanagh and beyond, so be on the lookout.”

The Small Blue Butterfly was last recorded from its only known site in 2001 and was feared extinct in Northern Ireland.

An NIEA spokesman added: “The Small Blue is our rarest and most endangered butterfly and is listed as a Northern Ireland Priority Species for conservation action. Although the species can be found in other parts of the UK and Ireland, it is undergoing a significant decline.

“NIEA’s Habitat Survey Team recorded a total of seven butterflies on the wing on May 31.

“They partially attribute the occurrence of the species in relatively high numbers to the unusually warm weather – Northern Ireland has enjoyed its warmest spring since records began.”

Bobbie Hamill spotted the butterfly during an assessment of these special areas which is undertaken by NIEA every six years to ensure that their scientific interest is being maintained.
Catherine Bertrand, Head of Conservation for Butterfly Conservation in Northern Ireland, said: “I cannot articulate how delighted we are that the Small Blue has been reconfirmed.

“Our volunteers have revisited the site sporadically over the past 16 years since the butterfly was last seen, with no success.

“We genuinely believed it was extinct from Northern Ireland.”