Ponds become newt nurseries

Gardeners are being urged by wildlife trusts across the county to be on the look out for baby newts when they clean up their pond this spring.

Springtime is normally when green-fingered types start the year-long battle of keeping weeds out of the pond water, but pregnant newts use the weeds to wrap their babies eggs in to protect them from predators.

Though their breeding season is usually around April, gardeners are being asked to look out for the shy amphibians as the young may still be using the weeds for shelter.

Sue Tatman, a wildlife gardening officer in Cheshire, told thisischeshire.co.uk: "Newts are shy creatures, so spotting them can be tricky. If you look around the weeds of your garden pond, you might happen upon these special packages.

"It's important that you leave them undisturbed, but if you can let us know we can add the details to our records," she concluded.

For those ponds who aren't acting as a sanctuary for newts, the advice for rejuvenating your pond is to buy reoxygenating plants and plant them with water lilies and marginal pond vegetation, as well as removing any blanketweed that has cropped up over the early spring months.

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