No-mow May pays off with a buzzing garden
I did as advised and let my
dandelions grow during May
and was rewarded by a visit from this large bumblebee. Which species is it?
Catherine McCarthy, Carrick-on-Suir
Well done for letting your dandelions flourish. They are a
rich source of pollen
and
nectar for bees
. This is the common carder bee, which has a ginger orange thorax. It has a mixture of colours on the abdomen but there are always black hairs on the abdomen of this species that help to distinguish it from the less common large carder bee, which has no black hairs. The common carder makes nests from moss on the ground. These can contain up to 200 bees at peak population, which are very much smaller than honeybee colonies.
Sea pink flowers. Photograph: Walter O'Dwyer
I saw these wonderful pink flowers growing in large clumps along the coast near Clonakilty in April. What are they and are they native to this country?
Walter O'Dwyer, Dublin
This is the sea pink or thrift – Armeria maritima. It is a native species and can occur in great sheets of colour on cliff and salt marshes. It has long roots that enable it to seek out fresh water in dry conditions, and it can tolerate high concentrations of salt in the soil. It flowers in April and early May.
READ MORE
Viviparous lizard. Photograph: Willie Campbell
Our cat recently brought this lizard to the door. There was also a smaller dead one at the door a couple of weeks ago. I'm wondering are they native?
Willie Campbell, Co Galway
Is there no end to the wanton marauding of the domestic feline? This poor lizard was probably sunning itself in an effort to raise its body temperature sufficiently to get going in the morning – it being a cold-blooded creature needing environmental heat. We have just the one native lizard – the viviparous lizard, so-called because it overcomes the risk of living in this cold country by giving birth to live young. What actually happens is that it lays eggs that immediately hatch. There is no placental attachment as in mammals.
[
No-mow May pays off with a buzzing garden
Opens in new window
]
Cuckoo flower with orange tip butterfly. Photograph: A Donovan
These pale mauve flowers are growing in the wetter parts of the grassy area in my garden. In early May I saw this butterfly on the flower. Can you tell me what is going on here?
A Donovan, Letterkenny
This flower, Cardamine pratensis or lady's smock, is also known as the cuckoo flower because the cuckoo has arrived by the time it is in flower. Its natural habitat is wet damp grassland, and it will appear in the absence of mowing. It is the food plant for the caterpillars of the orange-tip butterfly, whose Latin name,
Anthocharis
cardamines, reflects this fact. Even in the world of butterflies, beautiful colours are not equally distributed – only males have the lovely bright orange tips on their forewings. The hardworking, egg-laying females have just black tips on the white forewings but are distinguished from the cabbage-guzzling large and small whites by having green and white undersides to the back wings.
[
Live near a town? Got food or smelly shoes? Foxes and badgers may pay you a visit
Opens in new window
]
Male stonechat. Photograph: John Glynn
Here is a picture of a stonechat, which I saw in the Caher river valley near Fanore in Co Clare at the end of April.
John Glynn, Co Clare
This is a lovely picture of a male stonechat not yet in full breeding plumage. When it is, the males have a very black head, striking white neck patches and a bright orange breast. The females (wouldn't you just know) are a much duller version of this flamboyant colour scheme. The 'song', which both sexes produce, sounds exactly like two stones being banged together. It is a native species of scrubby uplands with furze.
Please submit your nature query, observation, or photo, with a location, via
irishtimes.com/eyeonnature
or by email to weekend@irishtimes.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
30 minutes ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the future of CHI: finding the right way forward
The Government is grappling with the question of what to do about Children's Health Ireland (CHI) after a string of controversies. There is no single ' right' answer to this dilemma, with the various possible routes forward all having pluses and minuses. But it is clear that doing nothing is not an option for the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who has already appointed a number of new members to the CHI board. In moving forward, it will be important to keep a forensic focus on a few key issues which have emerged. This is a multi-faceted problem and there is no single, or easy, solution. And this was underlined by recent reports of a toxic culture in one CHI hospital, with multiple complaints about certain consultants. An obvious issue is that the CHI governance structure has not operated properly, failing to spot problems and also not providing adequate information to the HSE and the Government. One option to tackle this is to bring CHI fully under the aegis of the HSE which, of course, has had its own problems. Whatever exact structure is chosen, it is essential that CHI is operated in a way that reflects its reliance on taxpayer funds. A weakness of the voluntary hospital system, of which CHI is a part, is a lack of clarity about lines of accountability. This may even suit politicians and the HSE to some extent, as there is always someone else to blame. But it cannot continue. READ MORE Whatever new structure emerges must deal with this. And it needs to recognise that appointees to board such as the CHI need to be adequately remunerated for the responsibilities they take on. Public service has driven many who have taken on such posts. But proper professional structures are important. The controversies also raise questions about clinical governance in CHI, under new structures set up in 2008. This process is meant to ensure patient safety. Clearly, in the case of the use of unauthorised implants in spinal surgery and unnecessary hip operations, there were serious failures. A separate clinical issue has emerged about one consultant's use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). It is essential that, whatever checks are needed , this must not result in undue further delays in appointments and operations for children. No doubt these separate incidents will also lead the Minister to reflect on the wider failure of the healthcare system to deliver an adequate return for increased spending, raising issues about productivity and also the overall system of clinical management. There have been improvements in the healthcare system , but also areas where services are well below where they should be . And the recent string of disturbing scandals further underlines the need for reform.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Athlete who died shortly after finishing Cork marathon ‘led with open arms', says father
A woman who died not long after reaching the finish line at the Cork City Marathon was generous with her 'attention, energy, love and affection', her requiem Mass has heard. Ellen Cassidy (24), of Carhoo, Old Mallow Road, Co Cork, became ill just after completing the race last Sunday. She died shortly afterwards in Cork University Hospital. Ms Cassidy's father, Tom Cassidy, told mourners at the Church of the Annunciation in Blackpool that his daughter acquired pockets of friends wherever she went. He said Ellen's wake in the family home lasted for nine hours, with friends arriving in large numbers to share their memories. READ MORE Ellen 'didn't lead with elbows, she led with open arms', he said. 'That made her stand out. That made her special. That made everyone that came in contact with her feel special.' Mr Cassidy said that he and his wife Vi, had found their daughter's diary in the days after her death. He said an entry on her 20th birthday summed up her approach to life. 'The entry for March 11th, 2021, her 20th birthday, reads: 'I am not a child anymore ... step out of your comfort zone. Don't follow the crowd. You never know the person you could be if you don't step up. You will never know what life will throw at you, but you must embrace it. Make choices and decisions – but don't look back. Follow your gut. Small things make a huge difference'.' Mr Cassidy said his daughter achieved so much in the fields of music, sport, academia and in her personal life. He asked that her friends continue to call to the family home as they embark on the long and painful road to 'some sort of normality'. Canon John O'Donovan noted that Ms Cassidy had written in her diary that she wanted her family to be happy. She had achieved a lot in her life, but her greatest legacy was the love she had for her family and friends, he added. Offertory gifts included a medal Ellen received when she completed the Milan marathon, swimming hats, sheet music and her music book, a seashell representing her favourite place (Alvor in Portugal) and a heart symbolising friendship. Ms Cassidy is survived by her parents, her siblings Mary and Charlie, her boyfriend Rob, her grandparents Joan, Billy and Tom, her extended family and her many friends.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Carl O'Brien: ‘Students buoyed by positive to start to State exams 2025'
So, it's day two and done. For many students, the first 48 hours of the Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert exams have been nerve-racking, energy-sapping and emotionally draining. Yet, candidates have also been getting into their stride, honing their exam technique and learning to pace themselves. The generally positive reaction to Leaving Cert English papers one and paper two has certainly helped, buoyed by the much-predicted appearance of Eavan Boland. If your student is still struggling, our guidance counsellor Brian Mooney has solid advice on how to approach the papers: take time to review then initially and leaving time and space to review answers. READ MORE Anxiety Exam anxiety can still be a factor for some students: bursts of panic, feeling sick, stomach turning to jelly, stage fright. My colleague Peter McGuire has spoken to experts in the field . We were stuck by this comment. 'Testing is not a natural state – it is an artificial condition that we have created that has negative impacts on many people's mental health,' says Dr Jennifer Symonds, associate professor of education at UCD school of education. His article has plenty of tips to help address exam anxiety such as 'diaphragmatic' breathing', keeping smartphones at bay and avoiding marathon study sessions. Marathons Speaking of which, my colleague Cian O'Connell has documented the rise of 'extreme study ' online, such as 5am starts and 12-hour sessions. It's fair to say that none of the expert we spoke to recommended it. Friday, at least, gives students a chance to relax, breathe out and take stock. As Brian Mooney says in his advice for parents, some young people taking the Leaving Cert can mistakenly believe their standing in their parents' eyes is dependent on their success in the exam. 'Ensure your son or daughter is clear that your love for them is in no way dependent on how they perform,' he says. 'This affirmation is one of the greatest gifts you can give them during the exams.' Tomorrow : Leaving Cert: geography (9.30-12 midday), maths paper one (2-4.30pm) Junior Cycle: history (9.30-11.30am), maths (1.30-3.30pm) How are we doing? If you are a parent/ guardian of a Leaving Cert student, we'd love to hear from you. Maybe you have a personal story to share, have a burning question or want to comment on the exams, CAO and further education applications process. Please click the link below to send us your questions or feedback: ingCert
