27-10-2022: Pondering Pollinators and Ponds

The week after we were at Roehampton vale working on our pollinator beds at the back of the campus. 

Firstly, we created a large insect hotel, filling it with material such as paper, leaves, cut bamboo, pine cones, tree bark, soil and sand to create microhabitats for invertebrates. 

Breaking ground with Mark as we create a setting for the first insect hotel

We then created a rockery style area next to the insect hotel and planted it up with Mediterranean herbs which – once established, will be more drought tolerant and provide pollinator habitat. At the back of the hotel we planted ice plants and some comfrey to add even more pollen sources to the bed. 

Working to fill the brick voids with Rachel and Mark to build our layers

On the second bed we started to create our insect hotel wall – drilling rounds of harvested wood to create habitats for various solitary bee species as well as other invertebrates. 

We still have a long way to go to finish our “hard” infrastructure for these beds as we want to build one more brick bug hotel and finish off the wood wall in Feb before more planting in the Spring. 

If you are free in Feb – why not come along and help us finish our structural build for bugs 😊 - you can sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pollinator-habitat-day-roehampton-vale-campus-tickets-419066066887?aff=ebdsoporgprofile 

We were back at Kingston Hill on the 22nd, working to remove some of the sedge growth from the middle of the pond. 

The pond itself was still really really dry this winter compared to past years. Which made clearing the roots easier than normal, but we are all really hoping for a very wet winter to help replenish the ground water as this is a surface water fed pond. 

We don’t top the pond up with tap water because of the chemicals in the water and the impacts of chloramines (which stay in the water for weeks) on amphibians https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/water-saving-week-work-butt/ . While chemical can be added to water (for smaller ponds) to remove the chloramines, its not feasible for larger wildlife ponds given the water storage area needed to treat the water before filling the pond. 

So rainwater is still the best long term solution for keeping the pond full. So I hope folk are prepared to do rain dances all winter to help get our ground waters replenished in the south east! 

We will be back at Kingston Hill on the 5th of November to start tackling our Rhododendron. If you want a guaranteed good workout and fun in the great outdoors – sign up here to come along. 

Til next time :)