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Original poster

What is nibbling holes in our pond liner?

30 replies

Greaterwaterparsnip · 28/05/2023 13:39

We made our pond 4 years ago. It started to leak a year ago.
Looking carefully now, there are many tiny, perfectly round holes in the liner. I don't think they are bird peck holes as they are too round. It is a wildlife pond so no fish but many other species.
I've tried googling but there doesn't seem to be any answers.
We used a thick layer of smooth sand and a liner so I don't think it's coming from underneath. The liner came with a 40 year guarantee but what on earth has gone wrong?
I will attempt to attach a picture if I can work out how!

OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 28/05/2023 13:41

Picture

What is nibbling holes in our pond liner?
OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 28/05/2023 13:43

Not much use if you can't zoom in.

What is nibbling holes in our pond liner?
OP posts:
MissCherryCakeyBun · 28/05/2023 14:28

Set up a wildlife camera to see what visits the pond and you will find a culprit it could be badger or fox claws. Badgers are quite heavy animals

IcakethereforeIam · 28/05/2023 22:45

That hole seems tiny. Is there any trace of anything in the sand/dirt that the liner was lying on? The bit that would correspond to the underside of the hole. It reminds me of holes made by woodworm. Obviously, it's unlikely to be woodworm unless perhaps there were tree roots in the ground where the pond now is. The holes woodworm make are flight holes. They're made when the adult insect is ready to emerge fly off and find a mate. I wonder if some insect has been living in the ground under your pond. Has matured and chewing it's way to freedom....drowned? Some insects can spend years as a larvae. I heard of a woodboring insect that emerged from some wood that had been carved into a shoe.

I'm probably being a little farfetched but it might be worth considering.

Yellowdays · 28/05/2023 23:46

Cat?

Tots678 · 29/05/2023 07:37

is the rough edges pushed down or pushed up, maybe you can see with a magnifying glass. Could it be roots.

SquashPenguin · 29/05/2023 07:38

Cat claws.

Raindancer411 · 29/05/2023 07:39

I say cat too, as they was what caused ours. The foxes stand on mine and no issue but cats are razor sharp pins

HoppingPavlova · 29/05/2023 07:45

How deep is the pond?

Saisong · 29/05/2023 08:14

Are all the holes below the water line? Do they cover it evenly I.e. are they in the deeper part also (if you can see) or only on water line/ in one place.

It does look like insect bores - larvae or ants maybe (ants can even eat through concrete)
Or could it be birds beaks stabbing at larvae?

Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 13:05

MissCherryCakeyBun · 28/05/2023 14:28

Set up a wildlife camera to see what visits the pond and you will find a culprit it could be badger or fox claws. Badgers are quite heavy animals

Good idea but they seem a bit small for badger or fox claws and they somehow don't seem to be puncture marks. I even wondered if droplets had burned through the liner in the sun.
I did buy a wildlife camera but the app was so hard to use - with 500 odd motion activated films per night - we never got it to work.

OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 13:07

IcakethereforeIam · 28/05/2023 22:45

That hole seems tiny. Is there any trace of anything in the sand/dirt that the liner was lying on? The bit that would correspond to the underside of the hole. It reminds me of holes made by woodworm. Obviously, it's unlikely to be woodworm unless perhaps there were tree roots in the ground where the pond now is. The holes woodworm make are flight holes. They're made when the adult insect is ready to emerge fly off and find a mate. I wonder if some insect has been living in the ground under your pond. Has matured and chewing it's way to freedom....drowned? Some insects can spend years as a larvae. I heard of a woodboring insect that emerged from some wood that had been carved into a shoe.

I'm probably being a little farfetched but it might be worth considering.

I can't peel it back to see but with the sand and the liner I don't think any hard objects have done it. Certainly not roots.🤷

OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 13:07

Tots678 · 29/05/2023 07:37

is the rough edges pushed down or pushed up, maybe you can see with a magnifying glass. Could it be roots.

Not pushed up or down...more mouldered away...

OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 13:09

HoppingPavlova · 29/05/2023 07:45

How deep is the pond?

It was about a metre at its deepest. Nearly empty now.🙁

OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 13:14

Saisong · 29/05/2023 08:14

Are all the holes below the water line? Do they cover it evenly I.e. are they in the deeper part also (if you can see) or only on water line/ in one place.

It does look like insect bores - larvae or ants maybe (ants can even eat through concrete)
Or could it be birds beaks stabbing at larvae?

Can't tell if they are below the water line.

Thanks everyone. I loved my pond but a new better quality liner will be hundreds of pounds and I'd really like to know to avoid it happening again.
I will try to dig out the camera and give it another go.

OP posts:
Hedjwitch · 29/05/2023 13:15

Interesting. Mine is leaking too and needs to be constantly topped up. I cant really see the liner but wo der if we have the same problem?
I think I'll have the mammoth muddy task of draining it in the autumn once this year's batch of froglets have gone to try and sort it out.

IcakethereforeIam · 29/05/2023 13:15

Apologies @Greaterwaterparsnip I probably wasn't clear. I suggested that the holes were made by woodboring insects that had been living in roots that may have remained in the soil underneath the pond, not by the roots themselves.

I don't know if this scenario is likely, but the holes did remind me of the flight holes made by woodworm beetles. The larvae can live in the wood for upto five years before chewing holes to emerge as adults. Did you clear any trees when you built the pond?

Tots678 · 29/05/2023 13:37

Was the camera being affected by leaves or branches waving. Might have to put it further away where you think anilmalsvare accessing garden.

NanTheWiser · 29/05/2023 14:38

OP, you can get pond repair kits of various types, such as tape, patches or epoxy resin. Maybe you could try something like that? Lots on Amazon, and if you have an aquatic shop nearby, they might be able to suggest something. Must be a better solution than replacing the liner.

Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 14:43

IcakethereforeIam · 29/05/2023 13:15

Apologies @Greaterwaterparsnip I probably wasn't clear. I suggested that the holes were made by woodboring insects that had been living in roots that may have remained in the soil underneath the pond, not by the roots themselves.

I don't know if this scenario is likely, but the holes did remind me of the flight holes made by woodworm beetles. The larvae can live in the wood for upto five years before chewing holes to emerge as adults. Did you clear any trees when you built the pond?

I think insect holes are most likely...presumably the holes were originally below the waterline causing it to leak unless there is some other massive hole I've missed and the tiny holes are post leak claw holes...
I think the site was pretty clear of branches or wood debris.

What is nibbling holes in our pond liner?
OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 14:44

Tots678 · 29/05/2023 13:37

Was the camera being affected by leaves or branches waving. Might have to put it further away where you think anilmalsvare accessing garden.

Yes...the plants around the pond set it off but also an awful lot of moths!😊

OP posts:
Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 29/05/2023 14:48

Hedjwitch · 29/05/2023 13:15

Interesting. Mine is leaking too and needs to be constantly topped up. I cant really see the liner but wo der if we have the same problem?
I think I'll have the mammoth muddy task of draining it in the autumn once this year's batch of froglets have gone to try and sort it out.

Does your wildlife survive the tap water ok? How often do you do it? I have not liked to add it up to now but it's getting so low life is under threat anyway!

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Hedjwitch · 29/05/2023 18:22

I put the tap water in a big bucket and let that stand for 48 hours before adding it to the pond. We get a bit more green weed but the wildlife seems to survive ok.

Spr1nk13 · 29/05/2023 19:59

Do you think it could be the liner?

Original poster
Greaterwaterparsnip · 30/05/2023 18:05

NanTheWiser · 29/05/2023 14:38

OP, you can get pond repair kits of various types, such as tape, patches or epoxy resin. Maybe you could try something like that? Lots on Amazon, and if you have an aquatic shop nearby, they might be able to suggest something. Must be a better solution than replacing the liner.

Going to try this thanks.😊

OP posts: