No. 35 Discover what's in a pond

Children pond-dipping at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire — Children pond dipping at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire | © National Trust Images/David Levenson

It may look green and murky but pond water is full of life. Scoop some into a tub and identify what's living beneath the surface, using the pictures in our guide.

What you'll need

A white tray or plastic container filled with extra water from the pond
A fine net
Somewhere safe to stand or sit for a while
An adult to go with you.

What did you find?

Green gunk? Bits of twigs? Don’t be disappointed. Look closely – you may have some tiny creatures in there. Tadpoles, pond skaters and newts all like to live in ponds. What can you find when you scoop near the top of the water's surface? How do these creatures compare with what you find when you scoop deeper?

Watch the ripples on the surface as you put your net in and out. Feel pond weed between your fingers and watch how creatures move in different ways in the water.

What animals can you see around the edge of the pond? Perhaps you could play pond bingo – going from three points for a pond snail, up to 50 points for an otter.

What lives in a pond?

Identify these creatures to find out.

Pond skater

It's the water-repellent hairs on the feet of pond skaters that allows them to 'skate' across a delicate film on the water's surface. These insects are predators who detect vibrations on the surface to track down prey.

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Top tips for success

Keep whatever you find in the pond out of the hot sun.
Make sure that the water in your container or tray is the same temperature as pond water.
Scoop your net three times in a figure of '8' to pick up the smallest creatures and empty them into your tub or tray.
If you don't spot anything at first then take a closer look – pond life tends to be really tiny.
Remember to return anything you find back to the pond once you've identified it.
Oh, and most important of all... don't fall in!