Eye on Nature

Michael Viney responds to queries and observations on nature

Every year three or four white insects appear on my front door in early autumn, stay for a week or two and disappear. They are about an inch long with narrow wings and little winglets.

Charlie Sheehan, Charleville, Co Cork

This is the white plume moths whose wings are rolled around each other at rest. Its forewings are split into two feathery plumes and hindwings into three similar plumes.

While out walking I saw a mushroom which was about 2.5cm in diameter, purple in colour, which was stronger at the edges, and in the spoke effect on top.

Anne Steen, Navan, Co Meath

It sounds like the amethyst fungus which grows in rough ground and woods between August and December. It resembles other poisonous purple mushrooms.

I saw a pair of twites on seed heads near the beach at The Warren Strand, Rosscarbery, West Cork recently.

Kathleen Warren, Glandore, Co Cork

Although scarce, flocks of twites have also been seen in north Kerry.