dragonfly pond

[Farplace]

This year we are planning to make 2 ponds in one of our fields, hopefully to attract dragonflies amongst other wildlife. They are each going to be in the region of 10-12 foot across, and graduated to a max 4foot deep. They will be close to each other, with just a walkway between.
We are 1300 ft above sea level, and there are only grass pasture fields between here and the river 1 mile away. I have seen dragonflies near the river.
Are we too far from the nearest dragonfly population to attract them?
Or will the presence of suitable ponds bring them here?
If it's not a pipe-dream, how do we make our ponds dragonfly-friendly?
I would also like tips on how to make them suitable for other wildlife.
Jan

[Wild-Woman]

If your ponds have emergent vegetation, I would expect the first odonates to arrive would be the Large Red Damselflies, Southern Hawkers. Before that expect pond skaters and water boatman to make it to them without any encouragement. Most pond insects are fliers and get there under their own steam.
I wouldn't introduce anything....they'll all arrive and set up home without help.

[Ukwildlifeo]

A lot of dragonflies are pretty good at despersing so you will probably get a few species in the first year. Some like emergant vegetation, some require some open space on the pond bottom andn other like it weedy so a mixture of habitats is good. All this tuff about the pond having to be over 2 foot deep and a certain size etc is nonsense. Many damselflies and dragonflies (and other pond life) will colonise a puddle if its there long enough! That said shallow areas are good as theat is where most pond creatures live.

Have a look at the 'garden pond Blog' (google it). Its written by Jeremy Biggs of Pond conservation and has a lot of useful tips including debunking pond myths (e.g. leaves falling in are bad thing).

[Dogghound]

I agree dragonflies are quite good dispersers adults often spend a lot of time away from ponds especially females. You basically need to create a shallow pond in a sunny position with a rich diversity of native pond plants. Keep some banks exposed and open other banks need to be well planted. This diversity will help attract a variety of species. Also some rough grassland around the pond will be of further benifit to dragonflies to forage in. Attracting other prey insects will help you attract these predatory species. The river is unlikely to be of significance as most pond breeding species tend not to breed in rivers although it may be a good dispersal pathway. Its always worth building a pond dragonflies or not as you will get a rich variety of species turning up regardless.

[Red Robin]

My wildlife pond (no fish) is only about 5ft x 3ft x 2ft deep maximum, created last June, and has 3 Damselfly nymphs that I have seen at once. They appeared of their own accord but I don't know if they came with the lily which a good friend gave me for my new pond. The Damselflies love to inhabit the Himalayan Balsam plants on the banks of the small river less than two hundred yards away. Dragonflies can also be seen hunting along the river.

Any standing water will naturally attract critters of many various species and sizes - We all depend on it.

[Cowgirl]

Hi Farplace, I think if you've got dragonflies around they'll come regardless. My pond has no special recipe just a load of plants & stuff thrown together, but within the first month of building it I had broad bodied chasers visiting. Now two years later I've also seen damsleflys & loads of other flightly flitty things but this morning I nearly fell off my seat when I had a female emperor dragonfly visit, first time I've ever seen one, they are huuuge & really beautiful, course I tried to get a photo but it wouldn't stay still long enough for me to focus. I have quite a big chunk of reedy type plants which I've read they like so the nymphs have got something to climb up.

[Billabong Karen]

I agree with Cowgirl, my pond is in its first year, and as soon as the weather started getting warmer I got damselflies and southern hawkers. I'm not really close to any major body of water either, but there are a string of garden wildlife ponds in the street where I live, and I think this has enabled a corridor for pond life, since I have had frogs, toads and loads of newts already in this first year. The pond's not huge either - 15ft by 10 ft - but I think it proves how important wildlife- friendly gardens are. Far place, I am certain you will get loads of wildlife very soon, and the dragonflies will find you of their own accord. Good luck!