I saw a small, brown bird on Inishbofin. It had black feathers near the eye and on the wings. In flight there was a conspicuous white colour on the tail feathers. Could it be a wheatear?
Mary Hanly, Salthill, Galway
Yes, it was a wheatear on the eve of returning to Africa. They arrive here in spring to breed.
While weeding the garden, I came across a very large caterpillar. It was 21-22in long. The head looked circular from above and had markings that looked like large eyes. The body was barrel-shaped and with a small spike, rather like a wasp's sting at the end. It was brown and the body had fine black lines in it, the head was smooth and brown.
Jane Harris
It was the caterpillar of the lovely pink and green elephant hawk-moth, which is widely distributed in this country.
In mid-August, near Churchill, Co Donegal, I saw a variety of butterflies on some white buddleia. They included tortoiseshell, peacock painted lady (a couple of pairs), and most unusual, two pairs of comma. I had never before seen the comma in Ireland. Last September, we saw a silver-washed fritillary on the same buddleia.
Robert Pocock, D·n Laoghaire, Co Dublin
Records suggest that the comma has not reached Ireland except for a couple of sightings in Co Down in the 1990s, and one in Wexford last August. But it is found all over England and Wales, so perhaps it has been in this country and there were too few observers.
Eye on Nature is edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo.
