Newts

[Peggy Sue]

I'm a bit worried, last year I found a newt in my tomato growbag. I vowed never to buy growbags again, made my own compost and growbags this year.

But I ahve found 2 newts in my garden this year. Is this normal? I didn't think they lived here (Cambridgeshire). I think they may ahve been munching my lettuce since the slug defenses have failed to stop them being grazed back to a stump- or would that still me the slugs?

What can I do to get rid of newts if they are hamful?

[Bonniegirl]

I always thought newts were garden friends, and that they are probably there looking for the slugs!

[Peggy Sue]

Oh no now I'm depressed - I have hundreds of slugs and I threw the newts in the bin! I will rescue them tonight!!

[red]

yes - newts eat slugs and newts live just about all over the uk as far as I know. - usually near sources of water.

[Bonniegirl]

Oh no now I'm depressed - I have hundreds of slugs and I threw the newts in the bin! I will rescue them tonight!!

[Peggy Sue]

Well I suppose living near water could explain why I haven't seen them before- East Anglia being so dry- and this year I have found them...

I won't throw anymore away- infact are there any more slug eating friends I should import!!

[red]

other slug eaters are frogs, toads, hedgehogs and badgers

although I blame the badgers for having a party with our beer traps - we find them thrown all over the place... they are in heaven - slugs in beer.. fantastic!

[Peggy Sue]

Have to confess the garden is a bit small for a badger!

Am now regretting blocking off the hedgehog entry under the fence, although it was a bit much when the dog kept bringing it in though the dog flap poor thing

[the.fee.fairy]

Some species of newt are endangered.
You can tell the sexes by looking at the belly - yellow belly means male.

They're well worth keeping and encouraging! Its quite rare to see newts in a garden - they usually prefer overgrown ignored forests/woods and standing water.

Are they definitely newts? or are they lizards?

If they are newts, then check you standing water for dradonfly nymphs - they're ugly looking yellow things. They'll eat the newts (and your finger if you're not careful!!).

[Peggy Sue]

Well I can't be sure if they are newts or lizards I have to admit. Thelast one definitely had a yellow belly. The only standing water I have is the water butt ( and various overflow bins due to the wet weather), these have what I first thought were tadpoles in there, but they are not they have a whispy couple of hairs on one end and there are millions of them!

Next door has an ornamental pond, from which we have had frogs (I had to rescue them and release them in the lake due to my playful dog). If they are dragonfly offspring what should I do??

[red]

Its quite rare to see newts in a garden - they usually prefer overgrown ignored forests/woods and standing water.

.

er - we have always found newts in our gardens... in all the houses we have lived in.. so I think you will often find them in gardens

in fact newts found in British gardens is a website that shows pictures of newts you are likely to come across. the common newt will turn up in most garden ponds

[the.fee.fairy]

oooh, you learn something new every day!

I went on a newt rescue when i was younger, and the newt man said that you didn't often find them in gardens - maybe he was on about one species and i haven't remember all the conversation though...