h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A couple of days ago, i noticed a large amount of extinct pond snail shells in my pond. The shell turns white once the snail has gone. Anyway it started me wondering if there was a problem with the water, if it had somehow become contaminated.
Today i took the rash decision to clean out the pond before spring starts. Anyone that has ever had the task of cleaning out a pond will know that it's not the best job in the world.
So i started bailing out some of the water into a large container, the idea being that anything living would stay in that while the pond was cleaned. I found plenty of 'live' snails, which was a relief. There were also some shrimp type creatures and also some very ugly round water bug things i've no idea what they were.
The biggest surprise, that kind of made me wish i had'nt started this job, was the number of newts. There were 10 adults, including 2 males and numerous babies, which were obviously from last years batch. It's not unusual for some newts to remain in the 'infant' stage when food is short and then develop to an adult the following season.
Once i had started to bail out the pond, i had no option but to continue as i had already dumped a large volume of water, even though it was clear there was no problem with it. There was a inch build up of silt on the botton and i can tell you now, the smell was vile! How anything can live in water with that is beyond me
So, the pond is now clean and the newts back in thier home. I just hope the intrusion they suffered and the now 'clean' water, is'nt enough to make them vacate the pond altogether

Venus, I am sure that the newts will appreciate their 'Spring Clean', and may now enable the 'young' to continue their arrested growth.

As for the invertebrates, i would imagine that the round bugs are diving beetles, as they get everywhere, while the 'shrimps' sound more like dragon- or damselfly larvae. Difficult to tell without a picture.

Just hope you enjoy the new burst of life that is bound to start any day now.





MMF

As many as possible, fingers and toes crossed for the continuance of the eco-system of the pond.

Just imagine you had done that in summer, when the heat would have made it smell even stronger

Hi MMF
The shrimps are small fresh water shrimps, damsel and dragonfly nymphs are a different thing altogether. Luckily there were none in my small pond as they are carnivorous and would eat the baby newts The round bug things are more like a tick. They are grey in colour with a bulbous body Beetle larvae are long and thin, the adults are black. So it's anyone guess what the bug things are.

Bel.
I can send you some of the black sludge if you like, then you can smell it fir yourself

Nick
Thanks, i hope the newts will adjust to thier cleaner surroundings

Yuckky glad it was you and not me curious how did the shrimp find there way into your pond....I would love to put in a pond for the frogs we get one called a motorbike frog (for obvious reasons once you hear it) but the minute we attract the frogs we also attact snakes

Now you know what I went through having to dredge my pond half a dozen times last year

Ah, but yer a guy and you KNOW that you enjoy "skanky" fingers and stuff.

Hi Hayayfi
I suspect the shrimps came via the pond weed and have bred quite happily since. I imagine the diving beetles got in there the same way, though i think they can fly
A motorbike frog? now thats something i would like to see It conjoured up a vision of Toad from 'wind in the wilows' with his goggles and riding a Harley

Morning Venus

your wish is my command

http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/frogwatch/pages/frogs/sw/10.asp

will give you both a visual and a listen to our frog

Yes it does rather.... actually I prefer the idea of toad on a Harley than travelling in the horse drawn caravan

Hi Hayayfi
That is one cool frog Imagine the noise a whole group of those would make!

It is a beautiful and so BRIGHT froggy. And I think Venus had the right idea in another direction, ... it's sound would make for a helluva "ring-tone" on a mobile phone.

Because we live in a valley region with a lot of hills and winding roads we are popular with the motor bike groups of the grey brigade the old guys who traded in their suit for a harley or a BMW we often get groups drving through on the weekends as they escape the city I call them the frog bandidts because thats just what they sound like a band of these frogs

I'm sure that you don't call them that to their faces though.

That is a seriously intimidating sounding frog, ... Nearly as scarey as some of the "micro-bikes" they are now selling.

If you think hes bad you should check out the caine toads which have now unfortunately made it to the boarders of WA to reak devestation on yet another of our states I hope they come up with something soon to erradicate these blighters before they get down our way. I would say that of all the states our ecology is the most fragile simply because of our climate I learn't some amazing info this week on how our ecology is tied very heavily to fungus and small mammals simply fascinating

I've read about the cane toads and how they are pushing out the native amphibians Like any non-native species of animal or plant, if they like thier new surroundings they just take over
Another thing about cane toads (don't try this at home) The slime they produce on thier skin is a hallucinagenic I think it was youngsters in America that were 'toad licking' to get a buzz, after a while the toxins built up in thier system and made them ill....what a surprise!

The association between fungi, insect and plant is fascinating eh! Over here we can now buy dried microrhyzal fungi (spelling?) to help plants grow better. I bought some and put it in with my tree when i planted it, i'll have to wait and see if it works.