Wetland insects and animals

Insects

There are many different insects in the ponds. You can see water meters sliding along the film of water. Their feet do not sink, but only make a small depression in the water film.

Aquatic molluscs swim on their backs using their long hind legs as oars. They breathe air and therefore often rise to the surface. 

On the surface of the water, you can see silversmiths speeding around and around. They are shiny black beetles measuring seven millimeters. With their two-part eyes, they can look both under and above water at the same time. 

Divers are flat, streamlined beetles with oar-like hind legs. They can store breathing air under their coverts. Larvae are aquatic predators that suck up their prey with hollow, pincer-like jaws. 

Mosquito larvae live in water, depending on the surface membrane of the water with their breathing tubes. 

Dragonfly larvae live in water as predators, and therefore adult dragonflies also fly in the wetland. They are also beasts and have good eyesight and flight. 

Other animals belonging to the wetland

In addition to amphibians, the fauna of the wetland includes water voles, weasels and, in the past, muskrats. Squirrels and squirrels also find shelter and food in the wetland park.

Water vole

The water mole is our largest mole. It is a skilled swimmer and diver. The water vole is easily mistaken for a rat, but it is darker, smaller and has a shorter tail. It is 11-20 cm long and the tail is 5-12 cm long. Water voles usually live on beaches in the summer, but move to dry places such as fields and gardens for the winter.

The water vole eats aquatic plants in the summer. For the winter, it collects plant roots, potatoes and carrots in corridor networks. When supplies run out, it can eat tree roots. Its summer corridors are also on the beach. It can also build a cake-like hay nest.

Lumikko

Snowflake, on the other hand, is the smallest marten animal. The small size makes it possible to prey in burrows dug by moles in the snow. Snow White is sneaky, so you rarely get to see it. Snow White has a long thin body and short legs. In summer, its head and back are hazel brown, its belly is white. The winter coat is white.

Snow White specializes in rodents, small birds and bird eggs. It also eats invertebrates. Snowmen do not hibernate, but can spend a large part of the winter under the snow. Snow White has been calmed down.

The main image on this page is presumably a weasel. Snowflake's close relative, the carp, has the tip of its tail black in summer and winter, while snowflake has the same color as the rest of its body, i.e. white in winter, brown in summer.