Ecology and Wildlife

• The ramshorn snail is a common freshwater snail found across England and the wider UK recognised by its flat, spiral shell shaped like a ram's horn.
• Shell colour can range from brown to reddish, and in some species the shell appears almost translucent.
• Ramshorn snails live in slow-moving or still freshwater habitats, including ponds, lakes, canals, ditches, and slow rivers.
• They feed mainly on algae, decaying plant matter, and biofilm, helping to keep waterways clean.
• Ramshorn snails are hermaphrodites, meaning each individual has both male and female reproductive organs, allowing rapid population growth in suitable conditions.
• They breathe air using a lung-like organ, so they are often seen near the water surface.
• Their presence usually indicates reasonably good water quality, as they are sensitive to heavy pollution.
• Size: up to 2-3 cm shell Diameter.
• lifespan: typically 1-2 years

• Freshwater shrimp are small crustaceans commonly found in clean rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes across the UK.
• They have transparent or light brown bodies which help them camouflage among stones, plants, and gravel.
• Freshwater shrimp feed on algae, decaying plants, and tiny particles of organic matter, helping to keep waterways clean.
  They are an important food source for fish, birds, amphibians, and aquatic insects.
• Freshwater shrimp are excellent swimmers and use their small legs and tails to move quickly through the water.
• These tiny creatures are highly sensitive to pollution, making them useful indicators of healthy freshwater habitats.
• Female shrimp carry their eggs underneath their bodies until the young hatch.
• Length: 1–3cm
• Weight: Less than 1g
• Average lifespan: 1–2 years

• The white-clawed crayfish is the UK’s only native freshwater crayfish species and is recognised by the pale undersides of its claws.
• These crayfish are usually found in clean, well-oxygenated rivers, streams, and lakes with plenty of rocks, tree roots, and crevices for shelter.
• White-clawed crayfish are mostly nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night when they leave their hiding places to feed.
• They are omnivores and feed on plants, algae, insect larvae, worms, and dead organic matter found on the riverbed.
• Crayfish play an important role in freshwater ecosystems by helping to recycle nutrients and keep waterways clean.
• The species is threatened in the UK due to habitat loss, pollution, and the spread of the invasive signal crayfish, which carries crayfish plague.
• Female crayfish carry their eggs underneath their tails until the young hatch.
• Length: 6–12cm
• Weight: 20–90g
• Average lifespan: 5–12 years

• The bullhead fish is a small freshwater fish with a broad, flattened head, mottled brown colouring, and smooth scaleless skin.
• It is often called the European bullhead or Miller’s thumb.
• Bullheads are bottom-dwelling fish that feed mainly on insect larvae, small crustaceans, worms, and fish eggs.
• They are usually found hiding beneath stones, gravel, and submerged roots in fast-flowing, well-oxygenated rivers and streams.
• Male bullheads guard the eggs after spawning, protecting them from predators until they hatch.
  Bullheads are mostly active at night and spend the daytime sheltering in crevices and under rocks.
• They are an important indicator of clean water because they are sensitive to pollution and poor water quality.
• Bullheads have large pectoral fins which help them balance against strong river currents.
• Length: 8–15cm
• Weight: 10–80g
• Average lifespan: 3–6 years
• Despite their small size, bullheads are territorial and can be aggressive towards other fish that enter their hiding spots.

• The otter is a large, powerful mammal, with grey-brown fur, a broad snout, and a pale chest and throat. Otters can be distinguished from mink by their much larger size and broader face

• The elusive otter is one of our top predators, feeding mainly on fish (particularly eels and salmonids), waterbirds, amphibians and crustaceans.

• Otters have their cubs in underground burrows, known as 'holts'.

• Excellent swimmers, the young are in the water by 10 weeks of age.

• Otters are well suited to a life on the water as they have webbed feet, dense fur to keep them warm, and can close their ears and nose when underwater.

• They require clean rivers, with an abundant source of food and plenty of vegetation to hide their secluded holts.

• Length: 60-80cm
  Tail: 32-56cm
  Weight: 6-8kg
  Average lifespan: 5-10 years

• Kingfishers eat mainly fish, chiefly minnows and sticklebacks, but they also take aquatic insects, freshwater shrimps and tadpoles.

• They close their eyes as they dive into the water, so they are fishing blind! They bob their heads before diving to accurately judge the depth of the fish.

• Kingfisher courtship occurs in spring. The male will approach the female with a fish in his beak. He will hold it so that the head of the fish is facing outwards and attempt to feed it to the female. If he is unsuccessful he will simply eat the fish himself. He may have to repeat this feeding behaviour for some time before mating occurs.

• The first clutch of 6-7 eggs is laid in late March or in early April. Each chick can eat 12-18 fish a day meaning the adults may catch over 120 fish each day for their brood.

• Chicks are fed in rotation. Once a chick is fed, it moves to the back of the nest to digest its meal, causing the others to move forward.

• Once out of the nest, the young are fed for only four days before the adults drive them out of the territory and start the next brood. 2-3 broods are often raised in a breeding season.

• The design of a kingfisher’s beak is aerodynamically efficient, allowing it to dive from its perch, towards its prey, with maximum speed and minimum splash. In fact, the beak design is so clever that the front of many Japanese bullet trains are modelled to mimic it.

• An unusual features of sticklebacks is that they have no scales, although some species have bony armour plates.

• They are related to pipefish and seahorses.

• Sticklebacks are carnivorous, feeding on small animals such as insects, crustaceans and fish larvae.

• The main features of stickleback are having a row of 2 to 16 spines on the back, which are positioned in front of a soft-rayed dorsal fin. They also possess a sharp spine in each of the pelvic fins, a slender tail base, a squared tail, large eyes, and an upturned mouth.

• If you see red coloured stickleback fish, it is a male stickleback getting ready for reproduction.

• Sticklebacks are small, elongated fishes that reach a maximum length of about 18 cm (7 inches).

• Stickleback fish can be found not only in oceans but also freshwater.

• A member of the rodent family (but does not get on with rats!).

• Food – largely vegetarian, loves grasses, reeds and flowers like meadow sweet.

• Home – burrows into river/stream banks; prefers running water but will live in still water bodies with suitable banks and vegetation cover.

• Territories – mainly linear and between 25m -250m long depending on food availability.

• Breeding – April – September, may have up to 5 litters a year with average 6 young which leave the nest from age 22 days onwards.

• Habitat – densely vegetated banks along watercourses, marshes, large ponds, etc., which provide adequate food supplies and cover from their many predators but is not shaded out by dense woodland canopy.

• Enemies – large fish (e.g. pike), birds of prey (e.g. marsh harrier), mink, heron, otter.

• Population – has declined significantly in recent years and continues to be at risk. Main cause of decline is habitat loss and fragmentation.

• Bogbean is a wetland plant with thick creeping stems, broad three-part leaves, and star-shaped white or pale pink flowers with fringed petals.
• It grows in marshes, ponds, fens, and the edges of slow-moving freshwater habitats across parts of the UK.
• Bogbean thrives in acidic, waterlogged soils and is often found in boggy wetlands.
• The plant flowers during spring and early summer, usually between April and June.
• Bogbean provides shelter and food for insects and other wetland wildlife.
• Its floating roots help stabilise soft wetland soils and improve habitat quality for aquatic creatures.
• Historically, bogbean was sometimes used in herbal remedies, although it should not be consumed without expert knowledge.
• Height: 15–40cm
• Lifespan: Perennial plant that returns each year

• Flowering rush is a tall aquatic plant with long, narrow leaves and clusters of pink flowers that bloom in umbrella-shaped groups.
• It grows along the edges of rivers, ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams throughout parts of the UK.
• The plant thrives in shallow freshwater habitats with muddy or sandy soil.
• Flowering rush provides shelter and breeding areas for insects, amphibians, and small aquatic animals.
• Its triangular leaves can grow both above and below the water surface.
• Flowering rush spreads through underground stems called rhizomes as well as by seeds.
• The plant flowers during summer, usually between June and August.
• Height: 50–150cm
• Lifespan: Perennial plant that regrows each year

• The water plantain is a common UK wetland plant with broad, oval-shaped leaves and small pale pink or white flowers growing on tall stems.
• It is usually found in shallow water, ponds, lakes, ditches, marshes, and slow-moving rivers across the UK.
• Water plantain belongs to the plant family Alismataceae and its scientific name is Alisma plantago-aquatica.
• The plant flowers during summer, typically from June to September.
• Its flowers attract pollinating insects such as bees and hoverflies.
  Water plantain grows best in wet, muddy soil and sunny or partially shaded areas.
• The leaves often grow above the water surface, while the roots stay anchored in the mud underwater.
• It helps provide shelter and habitat for aquatic insects and small wildlife.
• Although called “plantain,” it is not related to the banana-like plantain fruit.
• Key features include:
• Height: 30–100cm
• Flower colour: Pale pink or white
• Habitat: Ponds, marshes, riverbanks, and wetlands
• Lifespan: Perennial plant (grows back each year)

• Common Reed forms extensive, yellow-brown reedbeds in wetlands.

• These reedbeds are important habitats for birds, including rare and threatened species like Bittern, Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit.

• Common Reed grows from creeping rhizomes (underground stems) and flowers from August to October.

• Common Reed has tall, hollow, golden stems. It has large, feathery, flower spikes that appear dark purple, but slowly fade to brown as the spikelets (containing the flowers) grow bristles.

• Common reed can grow up to 4 metres long!

• ​In a vase of gold And scarlet, how cold The flicker of wrinkled grays In this iris-sheaf! - 'Michael Field', 'Irises'

• A tall plant (it can grow up to a meter and a half in height) with branched stems and large, bright yellow flowers. Its leaves are long and sword-shaped. It grows from a thick rhizome at the base. This give a black dye and black ink. 

• The yellow iris was chosen as the County Flower of Wigtownshire and the county's marshy hollows are often flooded with its bright 'flags' . It is known locally as 'segg' or 'sword-grass', a reference to the equally remarkable blade-like leaves.

• This plant likes to grow in damp places, from lake, ponds and river margins to wet woodland, fens, ditches and marshes. They tend to flower from May to July.

• Purple-loosestrife can be found in wet habitats, such as reedbeds, fens, marshes and riverbanks, where its impressive spikes of magenta flowers rise up among the grasses.

• It flowers between June and August, when its nectar becomes a valuable food source for long-tongued insects, such as Brimstone butterflies, Red-tailed Bumblebees and Elephant Hawk-moths.

•  Dense stands of purple loosestrife can threaten plant and animal diversity.

• These weeds are tough! They can tolerate a wide range of weather conditions and will grow in standing water.

• The seeds distribute through water, humans and animals, with a single plant producing over 2.5 million seeds that drop in early fall when temperatures cool.

• They are vibrant in colour and can be spotted easily.

• Water Mint prefers damp habitats and grows in water, making it a good choice for wildlife ponds and bog gardens.

• Their leaves are very aromatic and can be used in cooking. Its leaves can be used in the same way as other mints, flavouring foods and drinks.

• There are about 14 or 15 species or hybrids of mint growing in the UK.

• Water Mint is very attractive to a variety of insects, including Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma butterflies, as well as the Green Tortoise Beetle.

• Water Mint has hairy, oval, toothed leaves that appear in whorls around the reddish stems. It produces dense clusters of lilac-pink flowers at the ends of its stems.