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Weevils introduced into Rawlings Pond

Published: 17/07/2018

Flintshire Countryside Service manage a number of ponds in the county to keep favourable for Great Crested Newts and other native species. These ponds are susceptible to invasive pond plants which are inadvertently imported from garden centres. One such plant is Azolla Fern. A pond in the county is now infected with this fern which if left unchecked will blanket cover the pond and eventually be detrimental to the species living in it. Flintshire Countryside Service will be using Weevils as a biocontrol which will naturally consume the fern and return the pond to a favourable condition. Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Countryside, Councillor Carolyn Thomas, said: “Thanks to funding from Natural Resources Wales and Building Wildlife, we are able to manage this invasive species in an environmentally friendly way, so the pond once again becomes a haven for Great Crested Newts.”