There’s plenty of watery wildlife to spot in Chorleywood Common ponds this summer says Common Ranger Andy Goddard – and encourage children to look but not to touch.
Kids will love watching Whirlygig beetles.. they shoot around the pond surface in circles at top speed (doing 6o strokes per second!). Look closely too and you might spot diving beetles, pond skates and water boatmen on the water surface. Dragon and Damsel flies will be hovering around the ponds and also in grassland around the water where they will be hunting for butterflies .
” The most common species of Dragonfly are probably the Southern Hawker and the Broad Bodied Chaser” says Andy, “and the most common Damsels are the Common Blue Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.”
Look out for frogs in the long grass they have left the water as mini adults now .. Watch out too for newts but keep away from them
“Newts will have pretty much finished laying eggs by now and the ponds are going to be full of newt larvae from all species , including the European protected great crested newt. Adult newts may well be in the water feasting on their own young and those of their close relatives! It is illegal to disturb this species unless under licence from Natural England so no pond dipping unless accompanied by a licenced individual.”
As for plants expect to see masses!
” There’s a long list…. Lesser Spearwort (a near threatened species) – there’s plenty in Sladys pond. There are Fringed Lilies and Curly pondweed in the ponds near Christ Church. All the ponds will have a selection including water plantain, water crows foot, common water starwort, bog bean, water purslane, greater spearwort, trifid,water horsetails and nodding bur marigolds as well as rushes and reeds! ”
Download a Nature Detectives’ activity sheet from The Woodland Trust here:
Dragonfly photo © Joshua Roston
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