An emerging dragonfly - found on a lily leaf at the pond surface. They tend to look damaged or even dead but are just straightening themselves out before starting to fly for the first time. After the cubs had left, we returned it to a tall plant to continue becoming an adult.
After a bad start to the week repairing vandalism, we were delighted to be able to welcome 21 cubs and their 5 leaders on the evening of Tuesday 28 June. They dived into three groups and rotated between pond dipping, exploring the garden (and watering our produce), making giant bubbles and toasting marshmallows. It was especially good to see some children, recently arrived from Ukraine, having fun in the garden.
We dipped lots of baby newts (efts), of all sizes. The children were very keen on these because they look like axolotls, which are apparently in Minecraft games. It took a lot of convincing that they would turn into adult newts soon.
Two of the three adult newts we dipped. We also fond a lot of dragonfly larvae, masses of snails, a water scorpion, a diving beetle (called Barry), pond skaters and water boatmen. Just from memory.