Friends of Gillfield Wood
Dear All,
Had a chance to investigate the pond for wildlife today.
The tadpoles are doing well; they are well spaced in the shallow areas. The planted marginals are looking strong and healthy.
Observation of the pond showed it to be somewhat murky, which was in stark contrast to Andy Brewster's observations yesterday of clear but algae-littered water. Derek Bateson suggested we may have had a Duck feast to have altered the water so much!
Male and female flies (St Mark's Flies - Bibionidae) were hovering over the pond. Some were clearly female as they were dipping their abdomens in the water to deposit eggs. Two types have been identified by the spurs on the end of the tibia of the foreleg. In photo A006 (female) but not clear in A005 (male) a ring of spurs is noticeable, A006 - Dilophus species.
In photo A010 & A011 two large spurs are found - Bibio species, possibly marci, which is the St Mark's fly.
We also have a water beetle visitor, Helophorus grandis (photo A001 & A004) and a mayfly visitor Baetis rhodani.
The latter has weird turbinate eyes which are orange on top, photo A007.
Paul Hancock
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