Water boatman beetle.

dont like the look of that BB, yak,, good shot though

Love him Sanbaz - really made up to see him rowing across the pond through the clouds of water fleas supposed to be a good sign of water clarity if these in your pond .Think Toto will like him..

well if hes good for your pond then its all good for you BB

Another good shot BB ......

Thanks Amy .. those little oars can certainly move .

Brilliant photo BB! I havent checked on the tadpoles lately - no doubt we'll have miniature frogs and toads around soon :-)

I love them Dawn was so excited when first put in the pond this is what I wanted to see poor Sanbaz perhaps should have explained this hugely magnified ..lol Our tadpoles coming along nicely not sure how long for though as when dragonfly larvae hatch..

Forgot about the dragonfly larvae. We get those nice pond snails too - goodness knows where they've come from but then again, everything has come of its own accord more or less. I've got a nice book BB - The Wildlife Pond Handbook (Louise Bardsley) A Practical Guide To Creating And Maintaining Your Own Wetland For Wildlife - got it from Amazon for about a fiver its good, lots of pictures and drawings ...... but then again you could probably write a better book yourself :-)))

He he Dawn would take me so long and sell so few Id probably have to charge £500 a copy .. shall I put you down for a few ?

I ll look out for that better value book in the meantime lol

Good shot - did you know these bite? I found out to my cost as a little girl pond dipping....reached into the net and pulled out two big ones in my fist and....OUCH!!! Got two painfull bites for my trouble!

No didnt know that Sid but cant be worse than the 3 hornet stings I got last week ...ouch

Yikes! How did that happen??!! I always thought hornets were docile.... did you disturb a nest?

Ray: Put me down for the first copy :-) Hope your hornet stings are OK now - you'll have to carry some Waspeze around with you.

Working under larch trees Sid - another reason to dislike them ! using a strimmer so couldnt wipe them away if thats docile hate to meet an angry one lol.

Better now Dawn been stung many times by wasps but these fellas sure pack a punch right on the back of my neck ..hope you not in a hurry for the book .

Hornets are quite big arent they - looks like you, "Stirred Up A Hornets Nest". Do bees like laurel bushes Ray - there's lots of buzzing going in on ours that grow up the side of the garage.

They are beginning to flower now Dawn ..they like the flowers on our ivy which dont amount to much in our eyes but then bees see in ultra violet so
must look great to them.

Yes much bigger than wasps and dont seem to tire of stinging if upset !

Oh right Ray, thats what they must be after, thanks. Your ivy is loved by the wildlife isnt it - a must have I would say. Watch out for those hornets, seems like you need eyes in the back of your head, lol.

Had several pairs of eyes in the back of my head Dawn as well as its a*** lol

Ouch, lol, poor you, fancy them getting you, a wildlife fan, doesnt seem fair :-(

Think even Toto would be hard pressed to love that Dawn ..well more work tomorrow so better say goodnight glad your connection seems ok at present.Think we ve all had a few problems at times hope yours is short lived .. regards to John x

Nite Ray, lost connection earlier so still not sorted, dont you just love BT. xx

Do hornets like Larch then? Oh dear, I have a vision of you flayling the strimmer about trying to ward off your attackers lol I've only even once been stung by a wasp - and in a very personal place too! :-S

Yeah Sid they love the sticky sap : ( But am ready for them !

Clever shot........not sure if we have any in our pond......

Good photo I have heard have these in your pond you know you have a healthy pond these do give a bite too so I am told.

Not going to dip in to find out Morgana ! Lol