Eye on Nature: Your notes and queries

I photographed an all-white hare in my brother's garden, in Kilmeena, Co Mayo, on July 30th. It was incredibly white and quite large. Is it an albino or an Arctic hare?
Maureen Feerick
Birr, Co Offaly

Your hare is the Irish mountain hare, because of the shorter ears, judging by your photograph. The mountain hare can turn white in extremely cold winters, but it moults back to its summer coat. This one doesn't seem to be albino, as its eyes are not pink. Perhaps it is a genetic abnormality.

Our skewbald pony gets chased by a huge, bee-like insect that I think is a warble fly. It only goes for this coloured pony – and it's not so funny if you are on board.
Suzanne Mac Dermot
Cobh, Co Cork

It sounds like the warble fly ('Hypoderma bovis'), the same one that attacks cattle. It lays its eggs on the skin of the animal; bumps appear in about three months. It is a notifiable disease in cattle.

Michael Altman sent a photograph from Brittas Bay, in Co Wicklow, of a comma butterfly, as did Anthony Manning from near Tacumshin Lake, Co Wexford. The comma is a local migrant from Britain but has become resident in parts of Cos Wexford and Carlow.

Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address