I spotted this creature at Killygarvan graveyard, Rathmullan, Co Donegal in July – a toad – but it doesn’t match the pictures of Irish toads. Francis McNicholl
That is because it is not our native natterjack toad but a common toad, a species that is native in Britain and in continental Europe. There is a breeding population in Donegal, which was first recorded in Rathmullan in 2011. It is believed to have been introduced there. There is also a colony of the same species of toad in south Co Dublin where it was first recorded in 2013 in Barnacullia. It is spreading there and the M50/N11 has not proven to be a barrier. It is considered to be an invasive species by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. It is illegal to introduce non-native fauna to Ireland.
Walking in Sandymount on November 2nd, I spotted what at first I thought was a pair of wasps mating on the pavement. One looked much bigger than the other. It seemed an odd time for wasps to mate. On closer inspection I thought it could be something more sinister. Is this an Asian hornet attacking a wasp? Roisín Sheerin
No. It is what you first suspected – a pair of wasps mating. This was confirmed by the hymenoptera expert John Breen, when he recovered from the shock of being sent a video of the pair in action. The male is in front, apparently it has longer antennae than the female and also lacks a sting. This is absolutely the right time for these common wasps – Vespula vulgaris – to be mating. The female will go off to overwinter and the male will die, happy no doubt.
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My husband, Brendan, found this remarkable tree with fungi growing right out of it, in woods on Clifden Hill. I’ve never seen mushrooms growing so high out of a tree trunk before. Can you identify them? Nelleke McGrath, Co Clare
This is the honey fungus – Armillaria mellea. This is a most destructive pathogenic fungus, and it causes the death of trees and shrubs in gardens and woodlands. After killing its host tree, it persists and fruits profusely on the dead wood. There is no effective control because the fungus can spread through the soil by means of long black cords called rhizomorphs that can infect the roots of nearby trees. These rhizomorphs also can be found under the bark of infected trees and resemble black bootlaces, hence the common name bootlace fungus.
This photo was taken at the Claddagh in Galway Bay between the Mutton Island causeway and the Docks. Would these be greenshanks? Or maybe godwits? Thomas McInerney
They are black-tailed godwits. These elegant, long-legged and long beaked waders breed in Iceland and are winter visitors to our shores. They prefer a habitat that includes mudflats and wet grasslands where they can feed on ragworms and small shellfish as well as earthworms and insects.
We saw a lot of these caterpillars on the southern end of Dursey Island recently. This one was covered by what looks like ticks. Can you explain what they are? Jan van Soest, living in Ballygriffin, Kenmare
This is a fox moth caterpillar parasitised by tiny braconid wasps. These have laid eggs inside the caterpillar, which hatched out and the young wasp larvae proceeded to consume the blood and nonessential organs of the unfortunate host. They left by eating holes in caterpillar’s skin and then wove these white cocoons attached to its hairs. The caterpillar can continue to live for a few days, sometimes moving about a little, but not eating and growing, and will soon die.
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