Environment

Is this Ice Age rock, or just some old concrete? Readers’ nature queries

Eithne Viney on Maybugs, Wych elms seeds, tawny mining bees, and seaside woodlice

A piece of Ice Age rock, brought to Ventry beach by ancient glaciers
A piece of Ice Age rock, brought to Ventry beach by ancient glaciers
Ethna Viney
Sat Apr 27 2019 - 06:00

I saw this large rock on Ventry Beach, Co Kerry. It doesn't look like old concrete and I wondered if it was Ice Age. – Frank Folan, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
It is an erratic conglomerate rock carried there by the melting glaciers of the Ice Age. It was from sedimentary rock laid down millions of years ago. The basic rock of the Dingle Valley is red sandstone.

I found this fellow deep in the soil as I was planting a tree. The resident robin beside me had a look but wasn't interested. – Chris Normile, Tarbert, Co Kerry
It's the larva of the cockchafer, also called the maybug. The larva can live in the ground for three to four years and is a pest in the garden as it feeds on the roots of plants.

A Maybug larva, which usually lives underground feeding on plant roots for its first three to four years
A Maybug larva, which usually lives underground feeding on plant roots for its first three to four years

In the cold days of early April I found this little bee with pollen in the vegetable garden. I put a bell jar over her and she warmed up and flew away. Rape is in flower about a mile away. – Simon Ó Cróinínm, Ráth Chairn, Co na Mídhe
It looks like the tawny mining bee, which has a nest in the ground.

A tawny mining bee, found in a Co Meath garden
A tawny mining bee, found in a Co Meath garden

I found this beetle-like creature on Long Strand beach. – Danny Ó Súilleabháin, Clonakilty, Co Cork
It looks like the pill woodlouse, Armadillidium vulgare, which curls up when it feels threatened, and can be found in coastal areas.

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Pill woodlice curl up if they feel threatened, and are often found by the sea
Pill woodlice curl up if they feel threatened, and are often found by the sea

We have discovered that the beautiful show of fresh yellow-green leaves on our wych elms is in fact a dense show of seeds. They have never done this before. – Paul Mohr, Corrandulla, Co Galway
Wych elms can produce seed as young as 13 and do so before the leaves appear.

Wych Elm trees produce seed from about 13 onwards
Wych Elm trees produce seed from about 13 onwards

My loquat tree (Nispero) flowered after 40 years last winter and now there is fruit. – Michael McNamara, Castleconnell, Co Limerick

Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28 F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.

Kerry Group