Eye on Nature: Your notes and queries for Ethna Viney

My book doesn’t identify an attractive moth that I photographed. Any suggestions?

Dermot Mowatt

Kilbed, Co Waterford

It is an angle shades moth. Its green areas may be replaced by brick red, as in your photograph. It rests with folded, wrinkled wings, like a dead leaf. Its caterpillars can be a pest when they feed on unopened buds.

While digging in my garden I came across an unusual woodlouse-type insect. It was a darker blue than the common type, and it curled up into a ball when disturbed.

Gerry Matthews

Carpenterstown, Dublin

It was a pill woodlouse.

In Rathdrum recently I was delighted to see a large raptor with the distinctive forked tail of the red kite encircling the sky high above. Then I noticed a peregrine falcon encircling just below it. Did the falcon intend to take out the kite when it reached a greater height?

Cillian Ó Longaigh

Kimmage, Dublin

I found a video on YouTube of a peregrine falcon attacking, or at least harassing, a red kite, in spite of the difference in size.

I heard a corncrake calling on Freyne bog, in Co Meath, on May 25th. When we were kids they were ubiquitous.

Damien Maguire

Maynooth, Co Kildare

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