Hi this is Jill from the Wild Bunch with our latest column.
As you may know, the Frome Wild Bunch group meets monthly with the opportunity to attend in person or via zoom and our aim is to encourage and support the growth of gardening for wildlife. Occasionally we meet up on location somewhere in Frome. In July we met at the roundhouse and pond at Welshmill to explore pond dipping.
The pond is young, created less than a year ago, but everyone was surprised and thrilled by the variety of creatures we were able to observe in the collecting trays and with the help of magnifying jars.
The enthusiastic group of keen wildlife supporters, a mix of adults and children, gathered around the pond armed with nets and curiosity. Under the watchful eye of Jo, Frome Town Council’s Resilience Officer, we carefully netted a host of creatures from tadpoles at various stages of development, a dragonfly larva and curly shelled pond snail to a multitude of minibeasts, many easily mistaken for specks of dirt.
The magnifying jars allowed us to clearly see these tiny creatures living below the surface and wonder at their diverse shapes. The ID charts provided allowed us to identify and name them. The enthusiasm of the children was infectious, and their wonder and surprise at what they had scooped spread among us. No-one had anticipated that such a large variety of creatures would have made the pond their home in such a short time.
Making even a small pond in your garden will provide a home for a host of creatures. Join the Wild Bunch to find out what you can do to support our wild neighbours.
Next time Jo will be talking about the Come Dine with Bee event hosted by FTC on 18th August.
