I’m reminded of Blue Planet – a swirling mass of mackerel whipped into a ‘bait ball’ by speeding tuna - as I watch the fifty or so swallows wheeling, circling and diving over the pond. At around 2:00 pm - even in the most terrible of conditions – they gather, swooping and skimming the water, in their hunt for the newly hatched flying insects.
It is those insects I went in search of today. Faintly inspired by Springwatch I went pond dipping, something, rather like rock pooling, guaranteed to bring out the kid in everyone. With every net load you get a new trophic level – the entire pond pecking order from hydra and bloodworms to water fleas and great diving beetle nymphs. If you never break the surface of a pond, you never really see this diverse and hugely important ecosystem. And by temporarily transferring them to a plastic container, you get to witness their interactions firsthand. It is the nymphs that interest me the most, though. From the strangely familiar, large eyed and long tailed damselfly nymphs to the transparent body of the phantom midge larvae. It is these animals that link the pond to the sky - providing vital roles in both ecosystems.
No comments:
Post a Comment