Eye on Nature: Your notes and queries

I've been noticing fox droppings comprising largely undigested blackberries.
Gerard Neville
Thurles, Co Tipperary

Foxes always feed on blackberries in season.

In Blarney and Killarney most of the acorns I found were disfigured. Is this caused by a parasite such as a gall wasp?
Henry Wilkinson
Moyard, Co Galway

The smooth one in your photograph is the marble gall caused by Andricus kollari. And the knobbly one is knopper gall, caused by Andricus quercuscalicis.

I was picking my raspberries and came on the active beetles in my photograph.
Paul Keogh
Fenit, Co Kerry

A number of the beetles in my photograph have taken up residence on the borlotti plants. I never see them eating.
Sarah Hayes
Dublin

They are not beetles but green shield bugs that live on sap and the leaves of plants.

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