Are you a wildlife bouncer?

paddy · #1 (**permalink**) 17-03-2008, 12:00 AM

Ok - it might all find a balance in the end - but sometimes a bit of control is needed. My pond is a magnet for great diving beetles, and every year, as i eject a fair percentage of the larva, i wonder if i should just leave them and see what happens...
It seems some critturs cause a considerable imbalance, particularly in a small wildlife area, and a bit of 'bouncing' is required.... there's just been a thread on getting rid of moles, which kind of sets the precendent - anyone else prone to a bit of 'not with those trainers, mate' when it comes to wildlife?

Muggsy · #2 (**permalink**) 17-03-2008, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paddy

- anyone else prone to a bit of 'not with those trainers, mate' when it comes to wildlife?

great description

and the answers yes

Got a mate called Pete, lives in Bungay, carp fisherman he is.

Also agree with your comment re- that user avatar in another thread

tufftie · #3 (**permalink**) 17-03-2008, 08:53 AM

Great diving beetles and larvae are predators and as such only a small percentage will be able to survive naturally in the pond anyway, as there will not be the food source available to them. I would leave them alone as they will be food for something else - though the larvae are voracious feeders.

stripee · #4 (**permalink**) 17-03-2008, 11:07 AM

Great diving beetle larvae are very ugly and quite gruesome in their habits and being transparent so you can see the digestion process

When I first had my pond I took all the larvae out I could see and relocated them. However over the years the pond has got a muddy bottom and I don't bother anymore....frogs, toads, newts and dragonflys all seem to be successful so they just fight it out amongst themselves. It's a smallish pond. I would leave them be, and in most other cases of wildlife too, let them sort it out themselves

Kayleigh · #5 (**permalink**) 17-03-2008, 04:45 PM

I would leave the pond and predators alone..Saying that we had a rat who was not welcome so we caught it in a trap..End of ratty... But my wood mice (think) have made a return..