Construction Works

The recent high rainfall had washed out the dams on Risedale beck that feed some of Foxglove's ponds. Finally, the water level in the beck was low enough for repair work to take place.

Yesterday Tony and Mike re-lived their childhood and re-built the dams by moving stones to create a new barrier!

In no time at all the work was complete and the inflow pipes had a good supply of water once more.

It seems that it wasn't just volunteers who had been busy constructing with stones. Whilst working in the stream at least three different species of caddis fly larva were discovered on the underside of rocks. You can see two kinds in the picture below. The small domes of stones appear to be cased caddis from the family Glossosomatidae and are widespread and abundant.

Other homes were found later in the day, this mouse nest was underneath one of the reptile refuges in an untouched area of the reserve, no snakes yet then!