Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory

The invasive Demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes is localised but also established in the canals in Ireland. This species seems to have gone undetected in Ireland for some time @ucdscience @UCDSBES @KildareCoCo @offalycoco

We are delighted to welcome Dr Maria Fitzpatrick as our Executive Director. With a #FreshwaterEcology, #Environmental Consultant background, Maria worked at @royalbotanic.bsky.social, Kew Research Funding Services and is #CircularEconomy and #CSRD trained: businessforbiodiversity.ie/dr-maria-fitzp…

This is the invasive alien Bloody Red Shrimp collected in Lough Derg. These nocturnal shrimp can be seen in extremely large numbers in-between rocks in littoral habitats in Irish lakes. @ucdscience @UCDSBES

Meet our newly discovered freshwater invader the demon shrimp. Dikerogammarus haemobaphes. It's already in high densities in parts of the Shannon. Please be careful moving boats or equipment between systems. High impact species! @ucdscience @UCDSBES

While surveying in Lough Sheelin unfortunately another invasive species was detected. Implications for the ecology of the lake. Supported by@DeptHousingIRL @meathcoco @westmeathcoco @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

Surveying freshwater mussels in Lough Sheelin in 2025 provides insights into the possible impact on water quality. Supported by @DeptHousingIRL @meathcoco @westmeathcoco @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

Surveying our precious rivers in Kilkenny as part of the national mayfly survey in Ireland supported by 29 county councils @KilkennyNotices @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

Delighted to see a healthy population of mayfly Ephemera danica in Lough Sheelin in 2025! Recorded as part of National mayfly survey supported by @cavancoco @meathcoco @westmeathcoco @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

New county record of Siphlonurus lacustris in Cavan. This large mayfly lives in the margins and slack water in rivers usually at higher elevation sites. Survey as part of national mayfly survey funded by 29 councils @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @DeptHousingIRL @ucdscience @UCDSBES

It's taken five years of control to reduce the seed bank of skunk cabbage after eradication efforts started in 2021 along the River Liffey. Continued support from @KildareCoCo through LBAF funding @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland. Manual removal is tough going!

Great progress controlling Skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus along the River Liffey in last 5yrs! Native plants returning after controls applied since 2021. Funding support each year from @KildareCoCo and @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland @UCDSBES @ucdscience

Our Zoology students instructed by @HerpSocIreland swabbing Alpine Newts for Chytrid fungus. Surveys in protected bogs indicate high density of Alpine Newts. Please report any sightings to @BioDataCentre @NPWSIreland @UCDSBES @ucdscience

These non native Alpine Newts occur at very high densities in bog habitats in the midlands of Ireland. Our Environmental Biology and Zoology students out surveying last night with @HerpSocIreland . @ucdscience @UCDSBES

Always a pleasure surveying with our colleagues in @HerpSocIreland A chilly night but still both the native Smooth newt and invasive Alpine newt out under the ice! @ucdscience @UCDSBES. Funding from @NPWSIreland

@T3c1 @ucdscience @UCDSBES @GalwayCoCo @DeptHousingIRL It depends on the size of the water body. For a small pond it is surprising how many occur. Some ponds a few hundred. Unfortunately it means our native 🐸and 🦎 and invertebrates don't stand a chance. No fault of the Alpine Newt though. We need to be careful what we release.

@UCDInEcoLab @ucdscience @UCDSBES @GalwayCoCo @DeptHousingIRL Are you finding many?

Another night survey completed on the invasive Alpine newt. Great help from our Environmental biology and Zoology students. Plenty moving early in the year getting ready for the breeding season. @ucdscience @UCDSBES funding from @GalwayCoCo @DeptHousingIRL

@sagaOptics Will have to try this then. Well done brilliant images

@UCDInEcoLab focus-stacking 😉

Two wings, that’s it! Diptera. Starting at 12 o‘clock ending in the middle 1. Snipe fly | Baum-Schnepfenfliege (Chrysopilus laetus) 2. Hornet mimic hoverfly | Hornissenschwebfliege (Volucella zonaria) 3. Drain fly | Schmetterlingsmücke (Clogmia albipunctata) 4. Louse fly | Hirschlausfliege (Lipoptena cervi) 5. Green bottle fly | Goldfliege (Lucilia sericata) 6. Fruit fly | Bohrfliege (Tephritis acanthiophilopsis) 7. Soldier fly | Waffenfliege (Clitellaria ephippium)

Another Chinese mitten crab found in the cheekpoint area, Waterford. This small female has 1000s of eggs typically released at the end of spring early summer. Please report any sightings and get in contact @BioDataCentre. This is a high impact invasive alien species. @ucdscience

@sagaOptics These are brilliant well done. What fantastic photos and a great idea. Gardens are such a treasure trove of diversity. We stay away from Amy chemicals and it's paid off over the years. Thanks for sharing

🇬🇧This year I always had my camera and a small photo box to hand when I was gardening. My children are always finding caterpillars outside, and I wanted to document that a bit this year. With the exception of the garden tiger moth (Arctia caja), they all came from my garden. 🇩🇪Dieses Jahr hatte ich bei der Gartenarbeit stets die Kamera und eine kleine Fotobox zur Hand. Meine Kinder finden ständig Raupen draußen, das wollte ich dieses Jahr etwas dokumentieren. Bis auf den Braunen Bär (Arctia caja) stammten alle aus meinem Garten. #catterpillar #lepidoptera #moth #butterflies #butterfly #entomology #raupen