Pondlife carnivores rival Jaws
LIFE in a pond is far less tranquil than it may seem, even on the surface lurk blood-thirsty predators, just waiting for their prey’s first mistake.
The classic two-tone Jaws symphony starts to play as we cautiously approach the murky water’s edge... ●●1. Pond skater Careful not to fall in, that’s exactly what the pond skater wants you to do.
With three pairs of water-repellent feet constantly monitoring the water’s surface, if you fall in (and you happen to be a small insect) it’s game over.
Any nearby pond skater will immediately be alerted to your presence, glide over the water with incredible speed and take you out with a swift stab from its sharp beak.
●●2. Greater water boatman
Invertebrates answer to the great white shark. Using powerful legs and an upside-down swimming strategy for extra sneakiness, unsuspecting prey beware.
Any sign of a struggle and the water boatman will be at your side in seconds, injecting you with toxic saliva before slurping up your insides – lovely!
Greater water boatman are voracious predators and will happily feast on fellow insects, tadpoles and even small fish if given half a chance. ●●3. Leech Sucks to be you. Leeches are the very definition of ‘blood-thirsty’ and can’t wait to latch their powerful jaws around a host. Don’t worry though, the victim won’t suspect a thing thanks to the injection of some anaesthetic followed by the enzyme ‘hirudin’ to prevent clotting and then it’s a liquid lunch for these infamous underwater vampires.
●●4. Common bladderwort
Bet you didn’t expect to see a plant on this list.
Sadly, not your average pond plant; you’ll need to head to somewhere boggy for a chance to see bladderwort, but an aquatic carnivore list just wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the fastest plant in the world. Now available on Astley Moss. Bladderwort won’t chase you down, it’s much smarter than that.
Instead, bladderwort sets a trap and lures you in.
The bladders, or traps, are hollow underwater structures with an opening that is kept closed.
When a small animal triggers the bristles that project from the surface of the opening, the trap suddenly opens, and a quick inflow of water sucks the prey inside. ●●5. Water scorpion We hope you aren’t clawstrophobic.
These underwater scorpion imitators are also known as ‘toe biters’ and may well take a nip at you should you paddle in the shallows.
Lurking among the dead leaves just waiting for the opportune moment to ambush, the water scorpion will grab at tadpoles and small fish with its pincer like legs.
Lucky for us, the water scorpions tail isn’t actually a sting but instead is used more like a snorkel to help them breathe underwater.
Chief Brody may have needed a bigger boat in Jaws, but a garden pond is great no matter how big or small it is. »●Visit our website to get more tips for creating your perfect wildlife pond and get your hands on our free My Wild Garden guide at www.lancswt. org.uk/mywildcity.