Ponds in the spotlight: Understanding their role for pollinators

Little is known about how ponds benefit pollinators. Walsh Scholar, Clémentine Sitoleux is embarking on a 4-year PhD, funded by Teagasc, to find out how farmland ponds benefit pollinators.

Pollinators (bees, hoverflies and moths) provide important services to agriculture, people and the planet. However, many pollinator species are in decline. In Ireland, around one-third of native bee species are threatened with extinction.

Farmland ponds are valuable semi-natural habitats that farmers create and maintain that benefit nature.

Image supplied by Saorla Kavanagh, Teagasc

What will the project explore

The Ponds for Pollinators Project aims to gather information about farmland ponds across the counties of Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford.

The study will investigate how pond characteristics, such as size, age, and surrounding vegetation – influence pollinator communities on farmland.

In addition, the project will examine what motivations lead farmers to create ponds and identify the barriers to creating ponds on farmland.

How can you help

If you have a farmland pond, please let us know. Either by completing the short survey (<5 minutes) or by email: Clementine.Sitoleux@teagasc.ie.

Important to know

Completing the survey does not automatically mean your farm will be included in the field study. The information collected will help identify pond locations and characteristics and guide where research may take place. Thank you for understanding.

Clémentine is based in Johnstown Castle’s, National Agricultural Sustainability Research and Innovation Centre and Trintiy College Dublin’s Discipline of Botany. Clémentine is supervised by Dr Saorla Kavanagh and Prof Jane Stout.