Breeding Smooth Newts??!!

[jayner17]

Last year I made a small wildlife pond and was very much hoping we may get some frogspawn. None has appeared and I guess it's now too late. However, I have recently discovered two newts. There was one to begin with, which quickly became two. Tonight I saw one shaking it's tail at the other and after some research I think I may have interupted a private moment!! I have some bunches of pondweed and a few oxygenating plants. I recently added a piece of black bag cut to look like a broad leaved plant as advised on another wildlife forum. Any advice on what else I can do to benefit my newts and their eggs/tadpoles??

[Dogghound]

They should be fine, I would plant more broad leaved species. I have used bags cut into strips for great crested but are only really used when no vegetation is present in the pond. If you plant a diversity of species like amphibious bistort, fennel-like pondweed, greater spearwort, water forget-me-not, water mink, water cress and brooklime you will offer rich invertebrate habitat as well as habitat to lay eggs on. The pond should contain a clear area usually the in centre for courtship (which is what you have seen).

It is important that you also create good terrestrial hibitat around the pond, dense native ground cover, log piles, rock piles are all fantastic for newts. If you can like the pond to a hedgerow/scrub/woodland or a similar feature with rough vegetation even better.

[jayner17]

Thanks! I went to my water garden centre at the weekend looking for broadleaved underwater plants but could only find marginals that mainly live above the water. Are there underwater ones or are marginals ok?

[Dogghound]

As long as the leaf develops in the water they can be used. They will even use overhanging leaves like brambles and often use hard grasses encroaching across ponds. Most broad leaved plants are marginal very few remain totally submerged.

[dampflippers]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

They should be fine, I would plant more broad leaved species. I have used bags cut into strips for great crested but are only really used when no vegetation is present in the pond. If you plant a diversity of species like amphibious bistort, fennel-like pondweed, greater spearwort, water forget-me-not, water mink, water cress and brooklime you will offer rich invertebrate habitat as well as habitat to lay eggs on. The pond should contain a clear area usually the in centre for courtship (which is what you have seen).

It is important that you also create good terrestrial hibitat around the pond, dense native ground cover, log piles, rock piles are all fantastic for newts. If you can like the pond to a hedgerow/scrub/woodland or a similar feature with rough vegetation even better.

I would prefer no water mink in my pond!

For smooth and palmate newts the leaves need ot be more pliable than for great crested newts. Water starwort (callitriche) is good and my favourite is water forgetmenot. If it's in apot, submerge the pot so that the top is about 4 inches below the surface. In subsequent years you should get seedlings growing. Gently pull these out if on pond surface, tie several to a stone and submerge this again about 4 inches deep or so to get underwater leaves.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by dampflippers

I would prefer no water mink in my pond!

Water mint.