Eye on Nature

There were 40 to 50 huge scary-looking jellyfish on Duncannon beach on May 25th. Some were dead.
Angela Treacy
New Ross, Co Wexford

They were lion's mane jellyfish, 'Cyanea capillata', from your photograph. They can grow to two metres in diameter, but in these waters they are usually 30-50cm, with tentacles several metres long. The tentacles deliver a very severe sting.

A flock of tiny spiderlings remained on our house nameplate for about three days before disappearing.
Ian McCullagh
Kilkenny

The spiderlings look like those of the common garden spider, 'Araneus diadematus', from the photograph you sent.

Recently a very vocal pair of cuckoos circled above us in what appeared to be a mating dance, approaching one another and swerving at the last minute.
Killian O'Donnell
Lettercanus, Co Galway

What you saw was one male cuckoo driving another male out of his territory. Only the male calls cuc-koo; the female burbles; and mating takes place under cover

Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address