Pond help please!!

heynonnynonny

Went outside this morning, as you do, noticed my pond lily and frogbit has been munched through probably beyond repair now.

Then we noticed a load of wriggling larvae in a clump near the surface of the pond. We think it is mosquito larvae, noticed a couple of what we think are mozzies flying around the surface of the pond too. Read up on the larvae and think it could be mosquito larvae.

Few questions -

1. How do I rescue my pond lily, it has 3 leaves at the surface and are like lace at the moment - can I do anything like cut it back etc?

2. I would really like to discourage mozzies and eradicate the larvae from my pond of course - can anybody recommend a good course of treatment for this?

Thanks for all your replies in advance

TonyMMM

Generally I would advise to leave things alone and let nature deal with it ....all ponds have all sorts of insect life in them and will find a balance eventually. You could try putting in a couple of goldfish ...they will eat most insect larvae I think.

heynonnynonny

Thanks, I'm just worried I will end up with a load of unwanted insects when they all hatch, not really keen on keeping fish although I am sure that would be the best solution!! Have been looking and think you can get something that you put in the water to kill them. Can't believe both water lilies and the frogbit have been munched too surely not by the larvae?

Never ever had this problem - then the pond leaked and we had to drain and refill it so maybe it is just a problem we are having whilst it's reestablishing itself.

£$&*"($£&(

Certainly don't use fish. That's the best way to knacker up a pond. And don't worry about mosquito larvae. They provide good food. What you need is dragonflies breeding (some tall edge plants will help them, and perhaps things like water boatman. I read somewhere that oxygenating plants can help.

wallbash

Certainly don't use fish. That's the best way to knacker up a pond.

Bit Harsh . Some of us with a few fish might well take the opinion that the fish is the correct inhabitant of a garden pond.


Ps I wont have any mosquito larvae to worry about :rotfl:

£$&*"($£&(

wallbash wrote: »

Bit Harsh . Some of us with a few fish might well take the opinion that the fish is the correct inhabitant of a garden pond.

True I'm very harsh on fish. Ponds with fish always look horrible and fairly lifeless. I tend to think that fish are the correct inhabitant of a fishpond. Probably the best place for the fish is a heron's stomach.

izzwizz_2

IMO whether or not to keep fish in the pond depends on the size of the pond (you need a big one to cope with fish). They definitely will keep the mosquito larvae under control. The other thing that might help is to find someone local with frogs / toads / newts in their pond and barter for some spawn next spring (when the tadpoles reach a certain size they will eat mosquito larvae). I have no idea what could be making holes in your pond lilies though.

gardenroute

There is a pest called the water lily beetle, which would cut roundish holes out of the leaves. A picture of the larvae or the lilies would be helpful. Not sure a mosquito would do this.

wallbash

True I'm very harsh on fish. Ponds with fish always look horrible and fairly lifeless

Even harsher a swimming fish , must be more life like than a plant!!

for the fish is a heron's stomach.

Where is the abuse button :eek:

I 'inherited ' my pond when I bought the house , its cost me , at least two pumps and a new filtration unit but up til now have not fed a Heron.

heynonnynonny

My camera is nowhere near powerful enough to be able to get a good picture - they are very small and wriggly, slightly different colour to the mosquito larvae.

Can I cut the leaves off the lily and will it regrow?

heynonnynonny

Anyone else got any advice at all? Went local garden centre, asked if they had any larvicide for the water, he reckons just leave them alone till they hatch and fly off, yeah and then they'll fly back and lay eggs in the water again!