Eye on Nature

On a beach in Donegal I saw translucent brown bladders, adhered to seaweed.
Michael Cunningham
Dunkineely, Co Donegal

Dr Mike Guiry of NUIG identifies it as an alga, Colpomenia peregrine – also called oyster thief, as it was said to carry them off when it attached to oysters and inflated.

I photographed a green, pink and gold moth on lavender in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Joan Bird
Lusk, Co Dublin

It is the beautiful elephant hawk moth, from your photograph. They are not often noticed, as they are so well camouflaged and usually fly at dusk. The caterpillar from which it gets its name is far more noticeable, as it resembles an elephant’s trunk.

I found a dark shrimp-like creature in a muddy ditch while looking for tadpoles.
Caoimhe Kearney
Claremorris, Co Mayo

It was the larva of the great diving beetle, Dytiscus marginalis, which will gobble up any tadpoles in the vicinity.

Jellyfish identified recently in this column, from a Twitter photo, as lion’s mane was in fact barrel jellyfish (see Another Life).

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