Michael Viney responds to queries and observations on nature
Bats hibernate in my kitchen wall. At the end of May they wake up every year and "talk" intermittently all day. I watch about 100 fly out about 9.50pm and later on 10.10pm. In first week in July the noise ceased. Why are they "talking" and how soon do the young bats leave?
May McClintock, Glendooen Rectory, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
The bat "talk" is communication with the young. Young bats take their first flight at three weeks and forage for themselves at six weeks.
On June 28th at about 23.30pm I saw a beautiful moth which I found in the Collins Complete British Insects by Michael Chinery. It was a rare one called Sussex emerald. I caught it in a glass jar and noted all of its features: distinctive white and red-brown dots around the edge of the wings; the body, legs and antennae were white; and the wings a lovely rich emerald, with one very light line on each wing.
Claire Crowther, Bray, Co Wicklow.
The moth was more likely the common emerald, very similar to the Sussex emerald which is only found a few places in the south of England, and the legs of which are red