Topic: Pond Life

[mc55]

I'm so excited - our newest arrival in the pond is a boatman.  Does anyone know of a site or book where I can look up the various inhabitants in the pond.  I've tried googling, but not had much success.

We've got shrimp-like things, see through slivery things, underwater insects (possibly damselfly lavae) snails, pond skaters, leech type things, underwater woodlice (?) and tadpoles.  Would like to know for sure what they all are.

Anyone know anything about boatmen - do they attack tadpoles ?

[jjt]

The arkive site [sorry too thick to link but google it,it's spelt correctly] has some stuff,you can see little films of boatmen on it.
                   If they still exist,the little Observer series of books had a pretty decent pond life one I think.
                    Boatmen attack most anything, if you doubt this try sticking your finger in when he comes by, it won't hurt much.

[tricia]

I've read that boatmen are not the friendliest creatures to have on your pond.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/428.shtml

Tricia

[mc55]

oh no, it sounds like a real thug ... wonder if I should try and get rid of it

[Margaret]

There are 3 creatures that will mercilessly kill tadpoles,baby newts and young fish.Water boatmen,great diving beetle larvae and dragonfly larvae.Best to get a good pond book to identify them,then once seen ,never forgotten.I hate killing anything but for the sake of my amphibians and  fish i make an exception.

[mc55]

hmm, think we'll try and catch it at the w/e ... that's if we can spot it again of course !

[telboy]

Hi Margaret,
My pond has been suffocated by duckweed. There is also a mass of oxygenating plant which I had to remove to try to minimise the 'weed'. I know I won't win, as for many year's I've tried.
The taddies are now up & downing, but what do they need to feed on? I appreciate they start as veggies but then they become carniverous.
Any advice?
Many thanks.

 

[manicscousers]

we've been throwing dead slugs in, yeuck..but we're trying to train them  ;D..the taddies, not the slugs  ;D

[Margaret]

Manicscousers you worry me greatly about the dead slugs.I do sincerely hope that they have not died from poison or you will condemn the tadpoles to a nasty death too.I hate poison of any kind.Get your frogs all grown up and big and fat,and they will eat the slugs for ever.My hostas are huge with no nibbled leaves!!

Best thing to feed tadpoles on,as a supplement to natural food,is good quality fish flake.I prefer Aquarian.Small fish pellets are also fine.If you can get some live food from any aquarists or garden centre that has fish and pond stuff,they will soon multiply in your pond,and be eaten at leisure!ie bloodworm,daphnia,etc.

I have even given mine raw mince but it will pollute the pond unless you can be certain it will be eaten fairly rapidly.

Hi Telboy,i wish i had my duckweed back.No problems with my pond for years but now the green slimy algae,(not blanketweed) has taken hold and it is a devil to get rid of.I fear i may have to take out the built up silt and put in fresh soil and new plants.If ever they stop asking me to work extra i might find the time.............. ::)

[manicscousers]

no, they're squished slugs,we're strictly organic, or natural, as they prefer here, slugs have just been crushed underfoot.. ;D

[telboy]

Hi Margaret,
Bought some quality fish flakes. Not a lot of interest yet.
Still netting out 20-30 duckweed plants/day. Where the heck do they come from?
At least I can see my 'James Brydon' now!

[Margaret]

Hi.
 Duckweed multiplies very rapidly in sunny conditions.I wish i had more,,i am fighting an algae bloom of mushy stuff and it's horrible,give me duckweed any day. The tadpoles will get used to their new food soon i am sure.Mine all got eaten by the newts,i wish in a way they had never arrived though they have as much right as the frogs I suppose.

Maybe next year i will save a few in a tank again .