I spotted this camouflaged creature on my front door. – Craig Bolton, Raheny, Dublin 5.
It's the lime hawkmoth. The base colour can vary from buff, which is yours, through greenish to orange/brown. They have only recently been discovered as resident in Ireland.
I found this fellow in the house in West Cork recently. What is it? – Kevin Hodnett, Cork.
Silverfish are abundant in houses where there is a moist atmosphere and a supply of their starchy food such as bread crumbs, etc. They come out at night.
What is the name of this tiny butterfly found beside Lough Conn, Co Mayo – Barbara Browne, Knockmore, Co Mayo.
Not a butterfly, it's the latticed heath moth which is a relative newcomer and seems to have arrived here around the 1970s. It has been seen in north east Mayo and elsewhere mainly in the northern half of the country
I found this at the back of a shed that hadn't been opened for a year. Is it a wasps' nest and should I be worried about wasps returning? – Johanna Moore, Goatstown, Dublin 14.
It's a wasps' nest, but they don't return to old nests as they only live for a year. The new queen makes a new nest.
While visiting my uncle in Co Meath I saw an interesting nest. While the swallows were away for the winter the wren added to the swallows' nest and made it his own. – Ella Clarkin-Sayers (7), Co Meath.
While driving near Mallow, Co Cork, I saw a buzzard fly down and grab a rabbit on the roadside. The rabbit struggled, and passing cars disturbed the buzzard which let go and the rabbit bounded away. – Paddy Sleeman, UCC, Cork.
I spotted this day-old sika deer in Ballard, Co Wicklow, last month. – Finian McEvoy, Laragh, Co Wicklow.
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.
