There have been several photographs of the seasonal cockchafer beetle (Maybug). Francoise Davison saw it outside the back door one morning in Wexford; Tim Nuttall saw one on the outside wall at night in New Ross; and Caitríona Shaffrey photographed this one just folding its wings in Donnybrook. It chews the leaves of various trees and its larvae feed on the roots of plants and cause severe damage to crops. Often seen at dusk and can fly into lighted windows.
I saw a few of these masked crabs recently washed up on Portmarnock beach. This one was about 3cm long.
Emily Byrne, Batterstown, Co Meath
Our daughter Dearbhaill took a photo of this pretty little fellow and wondered what it might be.
Dearbhaill Standún, Cnoc Suain, Co Galway
It is a male orange-tip butterfly with its wings folded.
I took this photo of a mushroom in our back garden last October. It was 18-20cms high.
Ed Armitage, Cork.
It is a shaggy inkcap, Coprinus comatus, also called lawyer’s wig.
What is the insect in my photo?
John Walsh, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford
It is the two-banded longhorn beetle, Rhagium fasciatum. The larvae live in dead wood and take two or three years to mature.
This photo is of one in a family of buzzards flying over our garden on May 7th.
Gregory Canning, Kinsealy, Co Dublin.
Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28 F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address.
