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Do Garden Ponds attract Vermin? Also do they attract midges?

  • 24-02-2011 9:52am
    #1
    ronan45
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭


    I was thinking of putting in a small garden pond then i began to think...
    Hmmm rats ..canals....
    My Gran allways used to say where there is water there are rats and mice.
    So does a Garden pond attract these critters? I also saw on tv a chap that had a pond and there was nothing but rats around.
    Do they attract those little midges also? Last thing I want during the summer is a midge fest in the back garden also lol.
    any ideas?

    http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20115070.Saturday_Super_Sale


Comments

  • #2
    kop77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 820 ✭✭✭kop77


    Hi, I put in a pond two years ago and have had no regrets so far. The only thing attracted to mine are the odd frog, small birds like finches etc and pond skating insects but no midgets and to the best of my knowledge no rats even though they are paying visits to my mothers house just up the road. I spend a lot of evenings on the decking listening to the waterfall when the weather is good that is and I would recommend a pond to anyone who is willing put the effort into maintaining it.

    Ps. If you don't think you have rats at the moment and have nothing else major around that would attract them then I'd say your safe.


  • #3
    johngalway
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,271 ✭✭✭✭johngalway


    There was mention on another site lately of fish put into drinking troughs for cattle. The reason behind this was the fish ate the mosquito larvae. I'm no expert but I think midges come from wet spots too? Maybe there is a breed of fish to suit that requirement regarding your pond.

    http://farmingforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=33123&highlight=fish

    Also, there is a breed of bat which eats around 3,000 midges per night (no, I didn't get those figures wrong). So a good habitat and bat box may attract that species to your garden.

    Rats, in my limited knowledge, are usually attracted by carelessly stored/discarded food stuffs. Keep the place clean and I can't see a problem. Either way, you're never far from a rat in the first instance.


  • #4
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    Ponds don't attract rats IMO. I put two ponds (wildlife ponds) in my garden. I also put in seven bogs. The garden is fairly marshy now and not much of a problems with midges either. What you will attract are frogs, newts, damselflies and if you lucky dragonflies.


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