Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden

If you have a water garden or garden pond, chances are you'll want to attract wildlife. In this article, I'll examine how to attract beneficial wildlife to your water garden and keep out the pests.

Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden - Amphibians

Frogs, toads and newts are wonderful wildlife to attract to the water garden. They are of great benefit in the water garden and should be encouraged to visit. Once they find your water garden, they will breed and return each year. Give these creatures access to your pond by placing short pieces of wood or stones in between the water and dry land.

Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden - Snails and Mussels

Snails are wildlife that you normally don't want in your water garden. However, there is an exception. The only safe snail to have in your water garden is the ramshorn snail. These snails feed off scraps of decaying material, which is detrimental to the pond. The eggs of the ramshorn snail are also a tasty food for your fish.

Swan mussels are sometimes sold to remove algae but they are of no use in a pond that does not have a muddy bottom. If your water garden pond does have a muddy bottom, you might consider swan mussels. Otherwise, it's just not worth it.

If you choose to have snails and/or mussels in your water garden, you'll have to introduce them yourself. Of course, mussels won't be able to find their way to your pond without help. Snails might find their way into the water garden but remember, if they aren't ramshorn snails, they will destroy your aquatic plants.

Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden - Insects

You won't have to do much to attract this sort of wildlife to your water garden. Insects will come whether you like them or not when you have a water garden. Dragonflies and damselflies are beneficial as they eat other, smaller insects such as mosquitoes that might be plaguing your water garden.

If you have fish in your water garden pond, there are some insects that you'll need to keep out. Boatmen and great diving beetles are two insects that are large enough to nibble at smaller fish. This practice can result in bacterial infection of your fish. They will also attack tadpoles, which are beneficial to your water garden.

Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden - Unwelcome Visitors

There are some forms of wildlife that you do not want to attract to your water garden. Birds will come to your pond to bathe and drink and should be welcomed, unless they are a heron. If you notice heron visiting your pond and eating your fish, a plastic heron decoy works wonders to keep the real ones away. Birds are beneficial to your water garden as they feed on mosquitoes and small insects but a heron will wipe out your fish.

Mink and otters can also be a nuisance to the garden pond as they will take your fish as a meal. If this becomes a problem, try installing an infrared sensor alarm unit. This will scare them off without harming them in the process.