Eye On Nature

Last year bees nested in the apex of a garage gable which is 25 feet from the ground. During the summer hundreds of bees flew vainly against the window which did not open and died in the process. Although the door was left open the bees never exited through it. This year again a large cluster of bees gathered in the upper corner or the unopenable window and already some have perished. Can you suggest any remedial action?

- Maitiu O Murchu, Gaoth Dobhair, Tir Chonail.

They are not very intelligent bees if they cannot exit where they entered. You could paint the window white and force them to find the door. Otherwise there is not much you can do.

Recently I saw a creature about the size of a large butterfly feeding from flowers at the cemetery in Newbridge. Its wings were like a hummingbird in motion, extremely fast. It had a very long proboscis and hovered about two inches from the flowers. The body was long and furry like a mouse or a bat, and it had what looked like ears. The wings were located on the last third of the body and had an orange tinge.

- Mary Butler, Booterstown, Co Dublin.

It was a hummingbird hawkmoth, an immigrant from southern Europe.

Edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to him at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. email: viney@anu.ie Observations sent by email should be accompanied by postal address as location is sometimes important to identification or behaviour.