A very special moment at our garden centre last week when our eagle eyed Horticulturist Veronica Smyth spotted not one but 2 rare caterpillars on a plant in our greenhouse
She quickly contacted Ireland’s Insects/invertebrates Facebook group to help identify. Low and behold the caterpillar was a rare and endangered species which has been rarely seen in Ireland since the 1950’s
The rare find is a beautifully coloured caterpillar of the Mullein Moth. This was ‘re-found’ last year after previously being thought extinct. There is a small population of the Moth in North Dublin
One day after making the discovery, Fionnuala Parnell, a member of insects/invertebrate of Ireland made the trip from Dublin to Portarlington to retrieve,
collect and protect the caterpillars and brought them back to Dublin where they would join the existing population there
The story was picked up several media outlets including Laois Today, Leinster Express, The Nationalist & Midlands Radio
Well done to all involved!