Garden Pond for Bats

The bats are enjoying growing popularity. More and more people want to learn more about these animals, they want to watch and do something to help these endangered species. Our native bats feed from insects. Where many insects fly, bats hunt preferred. Enough insects are essential for survival tor the skillful hunters - to raise their families to cope with the long distances to winter quarters and to create an adequate fat for hibernation. Inshore Waters are among the most important feeding areas for bats. In water, the larvae of many insects have their nursery. The bats know exactly when the insects eclose. The bats come from far away to hunt over the inshore waters. A garden pond with deep and shallow areas and semi-natural vegetation provides a habitat for many animals and is a treasure for nature observation: dragonflies, mayflies and caddis flies develop in water, butterflies, bees and other Hymenoptera visit blooming shore shrubs, for newts and frogs, water is the elixir of life. Regularly the pond will be visited by birds and small mammals for drinking. In the early evening the first bats come to the water to drink while flying close to the surface of the water, and they also come to hunt the insects flying around. Planning a garden pond A garden pond should at least be 5-8 square meters in size and 1 meter deep. In designing the shore, swamp and shallow waterzones you create habitats for insects and amphibians - including warm areas as spawning grounds and for the development of the larvae. To seal the pond you should use pond liner or clay. For the ground a nutrient-poor soil substrate like a sand-gravel mixture is best suited - garden soil compositions contain too many nutrients. Ideal location for a pond is a place with sun and partial shade. By planting with willow shrubs that tolerate wet ground shady areas can be created, but this goes only for larger gardens. In a garden for bats poison sprays of all types (insecticides and herbicides) must be avoided. A pond for bats should not be stocked with fish. Fish feed from eggs and larvae of insects before the bats get some of it. The bats will thank you and enlighten your heart every night. Plants for the garden pond Deep water zone: water lily, water chestnut, spring water, pondweed, Wasserhahnenfuß, Frogbit, milfoil, Rough Hornwort. Shallow zone: plantain, flowering rush, pine fronds, swamp iris, marsh clover, arrowhead, bur reed, reed, Flechtbinse, amphibian lily, cattails and sedges growing bultförmig. Swamp zone: Teichschachtelhalm, purple loosestrife, marsh marigold, marsh Vergissmeinicht, water mint, water iris. Pond edge: meadowsweet, Creeping Jenny, globe flower, Bugle, goat's beard, Ufersegge, Seesimse, willow, alder. Our tip: A little water from a natural pond in the region "seeds" the water with natural flora and fauna.