Bees at New Ferry Butterfly Park

Here is Roy Lowry's latest report on his findings at the Butterfly Park, along with a selection of his photos.

I am trying to do an invertebrate photo survey - effectively a survey of flying insects - of New Ferry Butterfly Park at least once every two weeks during 2023. My most recent visit on 15th April gave me the opportunity to photograph the following bees.

Apis mellifera (w) Western honeybee worker

Andrena labiata (m) Red-girdled mining bee (only 3rd record in Cheshire) male

Andrena labiata (m) Red-girdled mining bee 

Anthrophora plumipes (f) Hairy-footed flower bee female

Anthrophora plumipes (f) Hairy-footed flower bee female

Anthrophora plumipes (m) Hairy-footed flower bee male

Andrena fulva (f) Tawny mining bee female

Andrena fulva (f) Tawny mining bee female

Bombus vestalis (f) Vestal cuckoo bumblebee female

Bombus vestalis (f) Vestal cuckoo bumblebee female

Osmia bicornis (m) Red mason bee male

Bombus pratorum (w) Early bumblebee queen

Melecta albifrons (m) Common mourning bee male

Melecta albifrons (m) Common mourning bee male

Bombus pascuorum (q) Common carder bumblebee queen

Andrena nitida (f) Grey-patched mining bee

Andrena nitida (f) Grey-patched mining bee

In addition, there were several Bombus terrestris queens burrowing around in the undergrowth without giving me a clear shot. I was pleasantly surprised at such apine diversity in an urban environment, and it brought home the value of the reserve to me.

We Did It! Pond Repair at the Butterfly Park

Moving the pond liner into position

On Tuesday, the volunteer team at New Ferry Butterfly Park safely achieved a difficult task, after some very detailed planning and with extremely careful execution. The new pond liner, all 350kg of it, was (slowly and carefully) moved into position at the end of the pond, attached to ropes and a winch, and very slowly unrolled into the pond, rolled along the base, then up the other side. At which point we heaved a sigh of relief and had lunch!

Unrolling the liner across the pond

Rolling the liner across the base and up the other side of the pond

Opening it out proved easy, and we were the able to run in 4000 litres of water from our 4 big tanks plus all we had stored in buckets, barrels and an old bath.

Opening out the pond liner

Adding water back to the pond

Some pond weed went back in and a number of newts, diving beetles, dragonfly larvae and doubtless other life. So it is beginning to look like a pond again, with a tired and happy team.

Adding buckets of water containing pondweed and newts

Beginning to look like a pond again!

It has to be left now for a few days for the liner to adjust, then we can start on the process of getting clay to spread on the edges, tidying the liner edges and rolling the turves back. The pond will then need this summer to recover, but we hope to be able to have a small barrel with some pond life in for visitors to meet on Sunday afternoons.

The pond has been left for the liner to settle before we carry out the next stages of the repair work

Leaky Pond at the Butterfly Park

Low water level in the leaking pond

New Ferry Butterfly Park's popular dipping pond developed a leak last summer, as became obvious once we had some autumn rain. After various failed attempts to find the leak, we have had to take a deep breath and decide to re-line it with a much better (but expensive) pond liner. So the remaining water, plants, sludge with pond life and, of course, newts had to come out into various containers and the nearby ditch!

Plants removed and water pumping has commenced

Many thanks to EA Technology for loan of a generator, to Richard S for loan of a pump, various people but especially Brian for providing water storage, and the the volunteers who got very wet and muddy on 4th April! By the end of the day we had the pond emptied, several hundred newts temporarily homed in an old bath and the ditch, the pond walls cleared of stones, broken glass, metal, plastic (no valuables, just two 5p pieces), and two layers of underlay installed and taped down. We now have the problem of safely moving the liner itself, 350kg, about 50m across the grass and down into the pond to where we can open it up.

Nearly there. Time for lunch...

The last few buckets.

P.S. The liner cost us over £3000, so if you are coming to the Butterfly Park on the Opening Day on 30th April, or any Sunday afterwards, and can spare a little extra money, there will be a collecting pot by the pond.

The underlay for the pond, ready for the liner to be put in place.