Eye On Nature

I have seen something unbelievable - a wren being chased by a butterfly.

Patrick Greer, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath

I have been buzzed by peacock, tortoiseshell and red admiral butterflies chasing me off their territory. But this is the first time I've heard of a butterfly challenging a bird.

At Parknasilla in April, we saw a dozen or so white butterflies with an orange stripe and black freckle at the end of each wing.

Seamus and Roberta ╙ Riain, Dublin 4

They were male orange-tips butterflies, and they fly from April until mid-summer.

In March a bird flew into our garden for peanuts. I put some of the nuts on my hand and to my surprise he began to eat them. Very soon afterwards he died and we were very sad. Was he sick?

Hannah Kelly (aged 7), Donabate, Co Dublin

Yes. In spring, birds that come for nuts and seeds to gardens often get a bacterial infection, Salmonella typhimurium - not the human type - or E. coli, because the feeders and the bird tables are not regularly cleaned.

Eye on Nature is edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to him at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. E-mail: viney@anu.ie Observations sent by e-mail should be accompanied by postal address.