Eye on Nature: Your notes and queries

There is a football-sized wasps’ nest on the underside of a cotoneaster. The occupants look like small bees and have a nasty sting. – Barbara Newbury, Killeshandra, Co Cavan

It is the nest of either Norwegian wasp or the tree wasp. Both are smaller than the common wasp and both build their nests hung in bushes.

We found a blue/black long insect with a yellow band, the second one in two weeks.

– John Ryan, Enfield, Co Meath

It is

Silex noctilio

, another of the wood- boring insects like the horntail or wood wasp. This one is the male, which does not have an ovipositor.

I photographed a yellow and black, beetle- like insect on a wild rose. It seems to be mating with another. – Michael Murray, Kilcornan, Co Limerick

It is the harlequin longhorn beetle,

Ruptela maculata

, seen on flowers from June to August

While fishing on Lough Melvin, I saw two large birds overhead. Later, when fishing a sheltered bay a similar bird came low over the water, plunged and rose clutching a fish. I could see light underparts and brown uppers. I identified it as an osprey. – Paddy Ennis, Portadown, Co Antrim

Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo. Email : viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.