The old pond after adding a bit more clean sand to the middle shallows that divide the three basins: left is the 'deep' pool, currently about 15 cm; right is the 'middling' pool; front is the shallow pool
July in the pond
Water levels are dropping; this is the time of year when ponds which are going to dry out will do so. Maybe one of my three separate basins will eventually dry out (it’s what the pond was designed to do, to maximise habitat diversity in the space).
The water is still crystal clear.
The early dragonflies and damselflies have mostly emerged now. I’ve seen the first of the summer dragonflies, a Common Darter, emerging.
My bulrushes are putting up new shoots – I’ve got 7 now!
Tadpoles are still in the pond, growing slowly and providing occasional meals for backswimmers.
The summer generation of pond olive mayfly larvae are growing – the eggs were laid in the spring, the adults will emerge later in the summer, lay eggs and then the next generation of larvae will grow over winter.
This seasons baby water snails are also beginning to grow: I have three species now: dwarf pond snail, whirlpool ram’s-horn and white ram’s-horn. I’ve no idea how they got to the pond. They have not come in on plants (I’ve not brought any plants in), and I haven’t brought in mud or water. Birds? Frogs?
