The day started well for our Butterfly and Bug walk at Silver Street Nature Reserve. Fine weather greeted us in the morning, and then as we arrived at the reserve a record 22 adults and children came along to join us, including members of the SWALLOW charity.

Everyone was given a bug pot to use at this point. Some of the pots had handy magnifying lids, and others (ideal for the children due to their larger size) were large clear custard pots. We then made our way up to the meadow where it was sunny, warm and still - perfect ‘bug’ weather! 

The fun task was set at this point for everyone to see how many insects they could find, and soon adults and children alike were hunting amongst the plants and grasses. Anne Savage and Ann Mead then tried to identify as many of the finds as possible. There were quite a variety of creatures brought back, including; a frog, three types of ladybird, lots of what are known as micro moths (yes they are tiny!), plus grasshoppers and bush crickets –an explanation was given of how to tell these two similar species apart, by looking at their vastly different antenna. Several different butterfly species were also seen, and there were a couple of mystery insects too!

After this, we all went down to the pond area and used white trays to do a pond dip. This was also very successful, as the pond weed in the tray contained lots of creatures, including; two types of snail, *Water Slater’s (sort of like aquatic woodlice, see photo), freshwater shrimps and a tiny clear aquatic leech - a very beneficial creature that eats sludge and algae in ponds, helping to keep the water clean. We also had the privilege of seeing a beautiful large blue/green Southern Hawker dragonfly by the pond to add to the day’s tally. It was a perfect end to a perfect morning and an enjoyable time, was had by all.

*Water slaters have to get around from pond to pond by being moved on plants, or by birds, or floods. But get around they do, although they will probably take quite a few years to arrive naturally in a new garden pond. There’s nothing to really worry about if you don’t have them, and no special need to introduce them.

Water slaters suffer from a common prejudice that they indicate pollution – they don’t. They are a perfectly normal part of the animal community of any fairly alkaline pond. They don’t care for acid water though, so you don’t find them in more mountainous uplands, nor usually in the acid heathland ponds of southern England.

The reason for their polluted water reputation is that in the early days of river pollution studies they were one of the survivors when sewage was discharged pretty much untreated into rivers. This is because they naturally live in places where oxygen levels can be low – but there’s nothing unnatural about that in ponds.