The specialists are surveying around 10 ponds created several years ago to mitigate for habitat loss and to boost biodiversity across three sites along the A46 in Nottinghamshire and the A6 around Derby.

The monitoring comes as National Highways launches Nature Week. To mark UN Biodiversity Day (22 May), the government's strategic roads operator is highlighting nature focused work by the company and partners around the country.

Last week it unveiled its new Environmental Sustainability Strategy setting out the company's vision for A connected country- A thriving environment- ambitious plans to deliver a more sustainable road network that not only connects the country but also protects and enhances the environment over the next three decades.

The company's ambition is to not only mitigate the impact of England's busiest roads but ensure they can be used as a force for good for generations to come.

As one of the country's largest landowners with 30,000 hectares of green land, it is vital that National Highways commits to using its green land to reconnect habitats, reverse the decline in biodiversity, help wildlife thrive and build in environmental resilience to a changing climate.

The newt monitoring, which is being done under licence from Natural England due to the newts' protected status, requires a minimum of four visits to ascertain their likely presence or absence from a site.

And that's where the two-litre pop bottles come in.

The top is cut off and placed upside down back into the remaining bottle to form a funnel. Two small holes are then cut into the sides of the bottle through which a garden cane is inserted and then used to anchor the trap on a slight angle around the outer edge of the pond. The trap then fills with water leaving a small air pocket at the top.

When an inquisitive newt climbs in, it can't get out again until released the next morning.

Great crested newts are a European protected species. The animals, their eggs, breeding sites and resting places are protected by law.

Jo Wright, Senior Environmental Specialist for National Highways said:

"The monitoring helps us manage the sites for the benefit of wildlife. If it becomes apparent that a pond needs some management interventions, it can be done with a specific species in mind. The data we record can also be used by our engineers planning schemes or maintenance to ensure they take the necessary mitigation measures if a particular species is present, this is particularly important when considering legally protected species.

"We don't want to keep any newts in the bottles for longer than necessary, so we go out to install the bottle traps in the evening when newts are most active and return early the next day to see what's there and record and release anything we've caught.

"Following standard best practice, we go out at least four times spread over a couple of months in breeding season. We also have to make sure we are going out in the right temperatures, as below five degrees celsius newts tend to be less active, meaning we wouldn't get an accurate picture of a site.

"It's a really rewarding process when you arrive early in the morning and see a newt waiting for you in one of the bottle traps. We tend to see smooth newts quite often as they are generally quite common, but we've been recording great crested newts too. They are great to see as it means the habitat we provide is working."

Notes to Editors

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England's motorways and major A roads.

Real-time traffic information for England'smotorways and major A roads is available via the Traffic England website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available.

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