Freshwater habitats, and the species that depend on them, are under serious threat. The greatest pressures come from drainage for human use and pollution. It was therefore refreshing to visit a project in Clonakilty that aims to create healthy new habitats for aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife. In 2024, three ponds and winter refuges for common frogs and smooth newts were installed beside Gallanes Lough. The project is spearheaded by Cork County Council and funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund. I am one of the volunteers helping to monitor the progress of the ponds, and it has been a wonderful learning experience. Last week, I returned to the ponds and met with the team and the project’s ecologist, Rob Gandola, from the Herpetological Society of Ireland.

Pond dipping at Gallanes Lough. (Photo: Ann Haigh)

Secret world

Previous visits had been at night, to monitor and count newts and frogs. Frogs were mating at the edges of the new ponds, and there has been plenty of frog spawn. We also spotted newts in the ponds, which was an enthralling sight. However, the main purpose of this latest visit was to survey the plant and invertebrate life during the day, as these are excellent indicators of pond health and water quality. The principal activity was pond dipping. This involves using a net to gently sweep through pond vegetation to sample the creatures living within it. The contents of the net are then tipped into a white tray with water for identification. You might think this is less exciting than surveying frogs and newts, but it isn’t. A bit like rock pooling, it may at first seem that there is little to be found. However, once the net is emptied into the tray, a closer look reveals a remarkable variety of fascinating life. It truly feels like a lucky dip.

Dragons and damsels

In the Clonakilty ponds we found the nymphs of various species of dragonfly and damselfly. Each summer, these insects lay their eggs on underwater vegetation, where they develop into aquatic nymphs. Depending on the species, they may spend from a few weeks to several years underwater, undergoing a series of moults as they grow. Unlike moths and butterflies, there is no pupal stage. When ready, the nymph crawls out of the water and undergoes a final moult, where their outer skin splits to release the adult insect. Newly emerged adults are called tenerals and are extremely delicate and vulnerable. They cannot fly immediately, as it takes several hours for fluid to be pumped into their wings. During this time, they cling to vegetation until they gain strength. Fortunately, the new ponds provide a safe and suitable environment for them to complete their life cycle, and it will be amazing to see them flying in the summer.

Teeming with life

Dragonfly and damselfly nymphs weren’t the only discovery. The trays were teeming with creatures swimming energetically. There were beetle and fly larvae, water fleas, aquatic snails, water boatmen, and backswimmers, along with large numbers of caddisfly larvae. Caddisfly larvae are particularly admirable. Many species construct their own protective cases using materials from their surroundings. In the Clonakilty ponds, most had cut and assembled small pieces of plant stems, binding them together with a natural glue produced by their salivary glands. They resembled fragments of vegetation until closer inspection revealed movement, and a tiny head and legs emerging from one end.

Predator and prey

Also observed were numerous tadpoles. These wriggling creatures never fail to inspire wonder and nostalgia. At this stage of the year, they are still small, consisting of little more than a head, a tail, and external gills. Over the coming months, they will develop and, with luck, many will reach the froglet stage by late
summer. Individual ponds are excellent examples of micro-ecosystems, with complex predator and prey relationships. Dragonfly nymphs feed on tadpoles, while adult frogs will feed on both the nymphs and the adult dragonflies. What goes around, comes around. Alongside the growth of native aquatic plants and beneficial algae, the diversity of animal life already established in the ponds is a very encouraging sign, and the ecologists overseeing the project were clearly delighted with the results.

Some of the tadpoles observed

What’s next

The survey shows that the installation of the ponds has been a real success for biodiversity. The initiative also demonstrates the value of collaboration between stakeholders, including Cork County Council, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and local citizen scientists. Only one question remains: whether the newts are using the ponds for breeding. As mentioned, adults have already been observed in the ponds, so the signs are promising. It was too early to confirm during last week’s visit, as any eggs would still be developing. I look forward to our next pond dipping session, when we hope to find juvenile newts, or efts, in the water. That would truly be the icing on the cake. A key takeaway for me from this project is not only how important freshwater habitats such as ponds are, but also how quickly wildlife can adapt and move in. My ambition to create a pond in my own garden has been reinvigorated.

Last week, a radio producer, Regan Hutchins, from Skibbereen, also joined us at the ponds to record a piece for CountryWide on RTÉ Radio 1. Keep an ear out for a West Cork feature on the programme’s 28th March episode.