Pond Dipping

A healthy pond should be full of plant, animal and microbial life. Pond dips are a great way for you to explore what lives in the water.

Ponds are important habitats for different organisms and can be an endless source of interest, as well as a valuable resource for learning about biodiversity, classification and life cycles.

How to perform a pond dip:

1. At the pond, fill your containers half up with pond water and put them away from the edge of the pond.
2. Use the net to sweep a figure of eight pattern in the pond. Try to avoid the sediment at the bottom of the pond and the weeds at the top, as these will make finding creatures in your net harder. Try dipping in sheltered spots - perhaps near the edge - as more bugs live there.
3. Sweep briefly for 10-15 seconds, then take the net out of the water to your largest container.
4. Turn the net inside out into the container - you may need to swish the net under the water to remove particularly stubborn bugs!
5. Use a spoon or tea strainer to examine your catch, moving interesting creatures to smaller containers.

Identification can be carried out by the pond using a field guide or by using an app like iNaturalist. It can also be done later at home using photographs you have taken with research from books or online.