I saw this bee on the astroturf in Athenry FC recently. At first I thought it must be unwell, but then it flew up and around to different parts of the pitch and seemed very busy every time it landed. What could interest a bee in this plastic grass? Adam Murphy, Athenry, Co Galway
What indeed? It could have been looking for a hole in it. Queen bumble bees – like this red-tailed bumble bee – emerge from hibernation in spring and build a nest, lay eggs fertilised since last year and build up a colony. This bumble bee species frequents gardens, meadows and parks and makes its nest underground among the grass roots. This astroturf has destroyed any nesting sites that were formerly in the area and, even if she does find a hole in the material, it will be far too hot under the plastic astroturf for the colony to thrive. The colours – green for the main part and this lurid blue around the edges – only add to her confusion.
I found this unusual-looking fungus in a woodland nature reserve near Lettermacaward. There were four fruiting bodies growing near a fallen ash tree. I think it is a common morel. I’d love to know how unusual they are. Emer Magee, Lettermacaward, Co Donegal
Yes, this is Morchella elata – the common morel. There is a lovely image of it in Fungi of Killarney National Park taken by Louis O’Toole. In the accompanying text the mycologist Tom Harrington says that it is a very unusual spring mushroom found singly or in groups on leaf litter in deciduous woodland. The National Biodiversity Data Centre has no records for this species and only two for the related species Morchella esculenta.
RM Block
I took this picture of a male blackbird in full song in Vandeleur Woods in Kilrush in late April. John Glynn
One of the earliest and most dominant singers in the dawn chorus, the song of the blackbird is unmistakable. The dawn chorus is now in full swing for the month of May – starting just before first light around 4am and continuing until it is bright enough for the birds, who hunt by sight, to go off to work. The males fill in the time by asserting their presence on their breeding territory where they are now nesting. The song warns off other would-be rival blackbirds that might be thinking of a takeover bid.
I took this picture in the back garden on April 12th. It is a real sign that summer is coming. Michael Cleary, Glasnevin, Dublin
This is a hoverfly – Syrphus ribesii – foraging in a dandelion for nectar. It is found in gardens, hedgerows and woodland rides and is quite common. It does a very impressive job pretending to be a wasp and birds keep well clear of it, fearing they would be stung if they tried to eat it. But unlike wasps, and indeed bees, hoverflies have only one pair of wings and no sting at all. They also have the typical large multifaceted eyes of the fly family. Their slug-like green larvae are active predators of aphids and so are valuable allies in the garden.
Could this be a turtle dove that visited my garden in Dunchaoin on April 22nd? Aisling Nic an tSitigh, Dunchaoin, Co Ciarraí
Tá an ceart agat. It is a turtle dove, distinguished from other dove species by its dark-brown-centred wing feathers which give it a scaled appearance. It is scarce vagrant visitor to Ireland. It overwinters in Africa and returns to continental Europe to breed. This one has presumably overshot the continent and has ended up in west Kerry.
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