My Wildlife Pond – Dragonflies, Frogs & so much more!

I know I bang on a lot about the pond but…

It really is so hard though, to describe quite how much pleasure the pond gives me. And it’s one of the few things that makes me stop!

I’m always thinking that I’ll take a coffee outside and have a sit down. No sooner have I finished my drink, or sometimes before, than I see something that needs doing, which of course leads on to something else that needs doing, resulting in little or no sit down.

But when I crouch by the pond it’s hard to drag myself away, watching all the creatures living in there.

Even the builders we’ve had on site for the last few weeks, have been spotted many times, peering into the pond. It’s spellbinding!

Longing for a pond

Regular readers will know where my desire for a pond came from. It was a combination of an inspirational teacher and Geoff Hamilton, the best presenter that Gardeners World has ever had.

Suffice to say I carried the longing for a wildlife pond for a good number of years before finally creating one in 2016.

The two things I hoped for the most, were frogs and dragonflies, and funny enough they both took a while to come. What I hadn’t bargained for though, was how much pleasure I would get from watching even the most mundane creatures.

Pond Snails

Of all the more exiting creatures you can think of that live in the pond, the snails are one of the most mesmerising. Especially the large ‘great pond snail’ – it’s shell up to 6cm long.

Watching as they gracefully spin themselves around, is really quite addictive and is the creature that probably has me crouched there the longest.

It’s such a slow movement making it very relaxing.

Unlike garden snails, these are welcome as they eat algae and decaying material.

It was amazing to discover that there are around 40 different types of water snails just in Britain. You can see the size difference of some of ours.

Pond Plants

The pond plants have matured well and now give a real splash (pardon the pun) of colour.

It starts in March with the yellow of Marsh Marigold ‘Caltha Palustris’. Next come the Iris, Anenomes and finally tall pink spikes from the Lythrums.

They obviously attract lots of welcome pollinating insects.

Shy Newts

Unlike Nigel, the first newt to inhabit the pond, who was very sociable and loved having his photo taken. The newts we have now are a bit shy, if they see you moving they shoot off at a great rate of knots! So my photos of them are limited. We estimate there are around four, but possibly more as we have seen some babies.

Camouflaged Frogs

Once the madness of spawning time has passed in late February or early March, the big majority of the frogs seem to disappear. This just leaves lots of froglets around the garden and three or four larger ones living in the pond.

Some splash back into the water as you approach but others sit there so well camouflaged that it is really tricky to spot them.

Dragonflies

And finally to the most glamorous inhabitant of the pond, the dragonflies.

Our first confirmed dragon fly from the pond was 2021, five years of waiting! My eagle eyed garden apprentice (husband) spotted it, and shouted to me. We stood with great pleasure as it danced around us, not remotely bothered about our presence. It finally landed on a near-by plant and proceeded to lay eggs on the leaves – and we all know what eggs mean, more dragonflies to come…

The confirmation that it had emerged from our pond came when we spotted it’s lava case – this final lava case is called an exuvia – on an iris leaf.

The dragonflies eggs, hatch into a rather horrible looking larva that can live in the pond for up to five years, eating any live prey they can find. They keep moulting their lava case as they grow.

For their final few days spent in the pond, they live in the margins starting to breathe air. Once a warm day arrives they climb up, usually an iris leaf and emerge from their exuvia, this takes between one to three hours.

About three weeks ago I told you that I’d spotted an exuvia on one of the iris leaves, for a minute thinking I was about to witness a dragonfly emerge, but sadly I was too late.

Luckily since then I’ve spotted what I’m pretty sure is that same dragonfly regularly around the pond and sometimes on the same leaf where she emerged.

And I can say she with confidence, because I’ve discovered from the British Dragonfly Society that I have a female ‘Ruddy Darker’ Dragonfly. Not possible to mistake for the male as he is scarlet red.

All tremendously exciting! I feel my pond is complete!

Now where’s that coffee, I’m off to the pond.