A shock discovery was made during a garden walk and bug hunt in the grounds of Rushen Abbey when a pond dip unearthed newts and newt larvae.
Newts are not native to the island and must have been introduced to the Manx countryside.
‘It was a bit of a surprise,’ said Kate Hawkins, curator of Natural History at Manx National History who led the walk.
‘You are not supposed to introduce non-native species to the island. I understand there are newts living in the south. I’m a bit concerned because newts might compete with frogs.’
She contacted the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture about the discovery and staff there are now discussing what action to take, if any.
The find illustrates these walks are not only educational, they also offer a valuable opportunity to survey the area’s fauna.
The weather was ‘perfect for a bug hunt,’ said Kate.
‘It was a lovely, sunny, warm evening.’ Scores of families turned up and children – mainly of primary school age – threw themselves into hunting for insects using a sweep net, beating tray or in the pond.
‘The pond dipping yielded the most interest,’ said Kate.
‘There were lots of pond skaters, water boatmen, non-biting larvae and snails, which are very good for pond health.’
The walk might inspire some budding entomologists, but if not, there is a general and very serious lesson in these activities.
She said: ‘At least they will have an appreciation of biodiversity and how important it is.’