Checking the Ponds

Wednesday, May 24th 2023

Although a serious side to the pond dipping carried out by our four Works Experience people, it was fun. The resulting photographs are not bright and colourful but are interesting showing the life in some of our ponds.

Each net returned many water boatmen and tiny damselfly larvae. Initially I classed this tiny creature as a damselfly until I got it on the screen. It is a diving beetle larva and a voracious carnivore. Is it heading for the damselfly nymph?

Dragonfly nymphs are quite robust. More danger lurking beneath the calm surface as they hunt for prey. Some of these nymphs can spend many years in the water, shedding their exoskeleton several times to allow growth, before making the final transition to a flying dragonfly.

Some efts (baby newts) were also caught. Like frog and toad tadpoles they breath through gills but unlike frogs and toads they retain their gills until they are ready to leave the wter. Sometimes they can overwinter in the pond rather than leaving in the late summer.

Thank you to my helpers, I kept my feet dry!

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