Great crested newt surveys often reveal hidden invertebrate treasures

Sometimes newt surveys are not very exciting from an amphibian perspective - which is good for clients, but may reflect ponds that have been degraded or neglected.
However, this does not necessarily mean they are lacking in life - a grotty little Norfolk pond I was surveying last night was teeming with invertebrate life. Highlights were several water stick insects - fascinating predators of this murky, silty world, which hunt other inverts as well as larger prey such as tadpoles.

This one was munching on a water boatman, and I was lucky enough to find one in a bottle trap in the morning.
After a quick snap, it was safely returned to its habitat unharmed.
​
Also noted were a pair of mating water scorpions - another pond predator and fascinating to watch - and several larvae of great diving beetles: fabulous and voracious preadators that were attacking and eating sticklebacks.

​It just goes to show that ponds are fascinating and enthralling habitats - and the bugs that live there show a great deal of diversity that merit a good dabble every now and then.