I have not mowed my lawn yet and so have a fine crop of dandelions in flower, which are visited by different insects on sunny days. Here is a picture of a busy bumblebee looking for food. What species is she? Catherine Kelly, Dublin
Early flowers full of nectar and pollen are vital to the success of our bumblebees. While daffodils and tulips cheer us up and indeed inspire poets, they contain neither pollen nor nectar in any appreciable amounts and provide no food for bees. This is either a white-tailed or a buff-tailed bumble queen (you would need to see the back end to be sure). Both are early flyers and very grateful to householders who let their dandelions come into bloom in March.
I recently noticed a new visitor to my garden. He sits for some time in my cherry tree and has returned over the past three days. I would love to know what type of bird he is as I have not come across one like him before. Audrey Herlihy, Kinsale
It is not a male anything. This is a female chaffinch, which appears to be suffering from leucism, causing the plumage to appear paler and more diluted than usual for this species. This makes the normally brownish pigmentation take on a sort of cream-yellow tone. It will be interesting to see if she succeeds in finding a mate.
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I found this beautiful, tiny little moth on our hall rug in Foxrock in early February. Can you identify it? Mary Gough, Dublin
It’s a male light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana. This species originated from Australia but is now very common in Ireland, first recorded here in 1997, having probably arrived from the UK. The male is smaller than the female. They fly at dusk and are attracted to light. It is an invasive pest of apple orchards. The caterpillars feed on the leaves and buds of apple trees and later in the season on the fruit itself. It overwinters as an adult.
I found this unusual structure on a fallen tree branch in Ballyannan Woods, Midleton, in early February. I thought it might be fluted bird’s nest fungus but there weren’t any “eggs” in the cups. I think it was probably quite old and the “eggs” had all dispersed. I would love to know more about it. Olive Kehoe, Cork
According to mycologist Hubert Fuller, this is Cyathus striatus, the fluted bird’s nest fungus, which is widespread but uncommon. It is typically found on decaying timber, wood mulch or directly on soil, often in large groups. The reproductive structures (peridia) resemble tiny birds' nests within which sit several lens-shaped, greyish-coloured “eggs” (peridioles), each containing millions of Cyathus spores. The spore-containing peridioles are splashed out by heavy rain drops and spores are dispersed. Foraging insects and small mammals may also spread the spores. The image shows older specimens from which the peridioles have already been shed.
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Two of these pretty birds recently visited our front garden during wet and windy weather. They took shelter in a large conifer. Are they gold crests or something more exotic, such as gold-crowned kinglets? Richard Murphy
Chance would be a fine thing – gold-crowned kinglets weigh 5g and are native to North America. Our native goldcrests, which these are, might take umbrage at being considered any less exotic. This male, with his orange head and white wing bars, is the smallest bird not only in Ireland but in all of Europe. It normally prefers conifer woodlands, so you were honoured to be visited in your garden.
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