. Can you identify the masterpiece in this photo (above)?
Tom Quinn, Burriscarra, Claremorris, Co Mayo
This is the silken "tent" of a colony of caterpillars - those of the lackey moth or the ermel moth. After hatch in, the young caterpillars cover a twig of their food plant with a silken tent and feed underneath ii. They extend the tent to cover more and more of the branch as they need new food supplies. This can do a lot of harm to apple and plum trees.
. I saw an animal exactly like a grey squirrel. The head is the same as a squirrel but he had no fluffy tail, only a little stub. (Drawing enclosed). Can you tell me why he has no tail? Was he born this way or did he have an accident? And what does he or she use for balance?
Hannah Shackleton (aged 8), Lucan, Co Dublin
I don't know how your squirrel lost his tail, he may have had an accident. He is obviously managing quite well without it, but I expect it limits his activity.
. While I was trout fishing recently on the River Suir south of Cahir, at dusk, two swans were flying up the river when one collided with a recently constructed 110KV ESB line directly over my head. He or she dive bombed into the river in a flurry of feathers, shook his or her head and sailed on down the river none the worse for the crash. Three or four minutes later the other swan came back and landed beside the partner, a touching example of fidelity.
I have since contacted the ESB and they said they will put markers on the lines - the sooner the better.
Paul Murphy, Ballintemple, Co Cork