Eye on Nature: Your notes and queries for Ethna Viney

We spotted this hummingbird hawkmoth in Ardmore, Co Waterford. Its wings were going so fast it was very hard to get it in focus.

Edel, Ciara and Rado Curtis, Swords, Co Dublin

We had a lovely rainy day in Connemara hunting caterpillars. We found several fox moth caterpillars, but also one that we think was a different species.

Kirsten, Olivia(10) and Patrick (5) FitzGerald, Dublin

Water consumption ‘drops significantly’ after Irish Water drive

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Where does rain, having fallen, actually go?

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Leaks may be fixed, but opposition to meters still watertight

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It is the light knotgrass caterpillar, which is local but scarce and found mainly in the west of Ireland and recorded in Connemara.

We found this enormous insect spinning around on the floor. It looked and behaved like a fly, but its hairy head made it look like a bee.

Remco and Oliver de Fouw, Knockroe, Co Carlow

It is the large bear hoverfly, Criorhina ranunculi. There have been a few reports of them in the midlands in the Biological Data Centre.

I saw this colourful creature on Silverstrand Beach, Galway. It was about 5cms in length.

Dee O’Connell, Upper Clybaun, Galway

It is the sea lemon, a sea slug that is common around our shores and found from the lower shore out to deep water. It can grow to 12 cms.

Last month I saw kittiwakes and guillemots sharing ledges near the cliff walk in Howth. I didn’t think they would share space.

John Thompson, Sutton Park, Dublin 13

I saw a white growth on a crab apple tree and it was unclear if it was a fungal growth or some insect infestation. There was a small flock of long-tailed tits eating it.

Richard Murphy, Ongar Chase, Dublin 15

It was an infestation of woolly aphids, which extrude woolly material to hide themselves.

Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.