Gravel extraction has created two lakes near the source of the River Anton in the north east of Andover. These lakes, together with the surrounding land and the upper Anton Valley are now a local nature reserve with an extremely varied set of habitats: lake, pond, chalk stream, wet flushes, disused watercress beds, wet and dry meadows, woodland.

Hi-Tech Wild-Trek visits concentrate on collecting freshwater animals from the southern shore of the main lake and from the shallow embayment  known as the Tench Pond.

   Ramshorn snail                       Toad tadpole (late stage)                          Damselfly nymph            

 

 Waterflea (microscope view)              Bullhead                                    Greater waterboatman

 

    Water scorpion                           Darter dragonfly nymph             Hoglouse                Orb shell

The main lake viewed from the north bank with the Hi-Tech Wild-Trek trailer set up and ready to receive a school visit.

The “Tench Pond” has become shut off from the main lake by a bank of sedge and other plants and is home to a varied invertebrate community.

The River Anton as it leaves the main lake shows the characteristics of a chalk stream with “gin clear” water flowing over a clean gravel bed