I've missed a week or two of posting updates. Things have been happening in the garden though.
1) There are plenty of surviving tadpoles in the pond, despite the frozen weather when the frogspawn was around. They've dispersed throughout the weed rather than all clustering over to one side. In previous years a lot have failed to develop into frogs, which many pond owners are finding over the past few years but nobody can explain it seems
2) I've not seen the newts yet, but Sue's seen them several times. In addition she's pretty sure she's seen a Dragonfly or Damselfly nymph wandering around among the weed - we do have both over the garden so it's quite likely there are one or two in there. We had several hatch out in our old half-barrel pond years ago, and we've got the right sort of plants, so with any luck we'll have nymphs in there. Actually the mare's tail needs clearing out, but I'm not sure how to do it with all the tadpoles around!
3) First bumble-bee of the year last week, which is always a good sign. We also had a queen wasp in the house, I'm all for wasps but as I'd rather she DIDN'T nest in the house I evicted her. Hope she finds somewhere her nest won't be in the way of people so she can produce lots of these energetic and maligend garden predetors.
4) Still lots of birds around on the feeders, but none taking an interest in the bird boxes!
1) There are plenty of surviving tadpoles in the pond, despite the frozen weather when the frogspawn was around. They've dispersed throughout the weed rather than all clustering over to one side. In previous years a lot have failed to develop into frogs, which many pond owners are finding over the past few years but nobody can explain it seems
2) I've not seen the newts yet, but Sue's seen them several times. In addition she's pretty sure she's seen a Dragonfly or Damselfly nymph wandering around among the weed - we do have both over the garden so it's quite likely there are one or two in there. We had several hatch out in our old half-barrel pond years ago, and we've got the right sort of plants, so with any luck we'll have nymphs in there. Actually the mare's tail needs clearing out, but I'm not sure how to do it with all the tadpoles around!
3) First bumble-bee of the year last week, which is always a good sign. We also had a queen wasp in the house, I'm all for wasps but as I'd rather she DIDN'T nest in the house I evicted her. Hope she finds somewhere her nest won't be in the way of people so she can produce lots of these energetic and maligend garden predetors.
4) Still lots of birds around on the feeders, but none taking an interest in the bird boxes!
