Environment

I lost my sweet pea to these strange-looking insects. What are they? Readers’ nature queries

Eithne Viney on swarming midges, capsid bugs, apple leafhoppers and dead man’s fingers

Common green capsid bugs

Ethna Viney
Sat Oct 13 2018 - 06:00

I lost my sweet pea this year to these strange looking insects. – Ellen Power, Waterford
They are capsid bugs, probably the common green capsid, about 5mm long.

I was driving along the back road to Bundoran in mid-September when I saw what I thought were about five or six long, thin plumes of smoke rising from branches at the top of trees. When I investigated I found it was flying insects. Why do they do that? – Ruth Murphy, Kilcock, Co Kildare
They were swarms of male midges which dance in mid-air sending out signals to females to join them. They swarm near a fixed point of reference such as a branch. So many midges once swarmed on Salisbury Cathedral (of recent note) that the fire brigade was called out because it looked as if the spire was on fire.

Wasps’ nest

I retrieved this wasps' nest at the base of a large fern. It was rounded and about 20cm in diameter and the layers were vertical. – John McMahon, Clontarf, Dublin 3

Dead man’s fingers

I found these under long grass at the foot of a sorbus cultivar in our garden. They were oblong, up to two inches in length and black with white centres. Are they a fungus? – Fiona Simpson, Ballyclare ,Co Antrim
Yes, they are dead man's fingers, which are quite common.

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Apple leafhopper, Edwardsiana crataegi

My grandfather added a grease band to his apple tree. What are these insects that were caught on it? – Orlaith Kavanagh, Perrystown, Dublin 12
They are probably apple leafhoppers, Edwardsiana crataegi, which are a pest of apple trees, and 3-5mm long.

Garden spider

We have this garden spider outside our sitting room window. I think the colours and markings are beautiful. – Geraldine Beirne, Boyle, Co Roscommon

Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28 F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address.