Hi I am going to enlarge our existing pond and make it more suitable for wildlife
Would a 11 foot by 4 foot pond in a sunny site be large enough to attract dragonflies?
We already have Large red Damselflies breeding in our pond and would like to attract dragonflies such as Hawkers to our garden too.
I am redoing the whole of the bottom of the garden and hope to make it more butterfly friendly too.
Pete
Garden Pond for dragonflies
- Mike Young
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 12:02 pm
- Location: Haslemere, Surrey
I have a three year old 6x4 pond in my front garden, so far I've had eleven different Odonata visit, five of which have bred, this included fifteen Southern Hawkers successfully emerging this summer.
And against current advice for such a small pond aimed at wildlife , I did stock it from the outset with goldfish, which have also bred like mad.
It is planted with a variety of water plants which at one stage almost covered the water completely.
On balance the hawker nymphs did use the plants with straighter stems, but not exclusively.
And against current advice for such a small pond aimed at wildlife , I did stock it from the outset with goldfish, which have also bred like mad.
It is planted with a variety of water plants which at one stage almost covered the water completely.
On balance the hawker nymphs did use the plants with straighter stems, but not exclusively.
Regards Mike
Hi Pete,
The British Dragonfly Society do a leaflet on garden ponds for dragonflies:
http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/dap1.html
In my previous house I had a pond a bit smaller than the one you suggested. Large red and azure damselflies bred there every year, making use of the marsh-marigolds for emergence. One year half a dozen broad-bodied chasers emerged from the pond. Various darters and hawkers took an interest, too.
The British Dragonfly Society do a leaflet on garden ponds for dragonflies:
http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/dap1.html
In my previous house I had a pond a bit smaller than the one you suggested. Large red and azure damselflies bred there every year, making use of the marsh-marigolds for emergence. One year half a dozen broad-bodied chasers emerged from the pond. Various darters and hawkers took an interest, too.
Thanks everyone it looks like the size I'm thinking of will be OK
Going to make a start with it this week.
I've got another pond with fish in so will have somewhere for the frogs to go while I remove the existing pond.
we have had about 5 frogs living in the pond for quite a few years now so hopefully the new pond will be even better for them too.
It would be great to see southern Hawkers breed in the pond I have not seen so many of them around this year.
Pete
Going to make a start with it this week.
I've got another pond with fish in so will have somewhere for the frogs to go while I remove the existing pond.
we have had about 5 frogs living in the pond for quite a few years now so hopefully the new pond will be even better for them too.
It would be great to see southern Hawkers breed in the pond I have not seen so many of them around this year.
Pete