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Where are all the frogs this year?
I installed a wildlife pond in my back garden last year and within a week there was a frog in it. So, I was excitedly looking forward to spring and seeing my pond full of frogs, newts etc... Since January I haven't seen a single frog in there. Noticed a distinct lack of frogs at other ponds too, including the one at the local nature reserve.
Any fellow pond owners out there care to share your own frog (or lack thereof) experiences?
On the plus side I did have 3 hedgehogs in my back garden (at the same time) last night, so pretty chuffed with that!
Cheers
Neil
I installed a wildlife pond in my back garden last year and within a week there was a frog in it. So, I was excitedly looking forward to spring and seeing my pond full of frogs, newts etc... Since January I haven't seen a single frog in there. Noticed a distinct lack of frogs at other ponds too, including the one at the local nature reserve.
Any fellow pond owners out there care to share your own frog (or lack thereof) experiences?
On the plus side I did have 3 hedgehogs in my back garden (at the same time) last night, so pretty chuffed with that!
Cheers
Neil
1
In reply to Neil Henson:
not so here 25+ attended the annual orgy 3 seen this morning all spawn hatched, and all inside the M25
not so here 25+ attended the annual orgy 3 seen this morning all spawn hatched, and all inside the M25
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In reply to Neil Henson:
The hedgehog is an omnivore which means it eats both plants and animals. Although the hedgie eats insects it will eat mice, frogs, small birds, worms, caterpillars, slugs, and toads, as well as plants and fruits.
Could well be linked?
> Where are all the frogs this year?
> On the plus side I did have 3 hedgehogs in my back garden (at the same time) last night, so pretty chuffed with that!
The hedgehog is an omnivore which means it eats both plants and animals. Although the hedgie eats insects it will eat mice, frogs, small birds, worms, caterpillars, slugs, and toads, as well as plants and fruits.
Could well be linked?
9
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In reply to Pids:
Good point, but I sincerely doubt that the local hedgehog population is sufficient to have a noticeable impact on frog numbers. Hedgehogs are getting severely rare these days.
Good point, but I sincerely doubt that the local hedgehog population is sufficient to have a noticeable impact on frog numbers. Hedgehogs are getting severely rare these days.
2
1
In reply to Neil Henson:
Frogs like to return to their birth pond to spawn so it can take a while for them to make yours a home. You might do better seeing if you can get some tadpoles (if it's not too late for them) from elsewhere and introduce them to a new home.
Frogs like to return to their birth pond to spawn so it can take a while for them to make yours a home. You might do better seeing if you can get some tadpoles (if it's not too late for them) from elsewhere and introduce them to a new home.
1
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In reply to Neil Henson:
Found loads of frogs in my garden hiding under logs and the likes. No signs of hedgehogs sadly. I'd love to have one of those in the garden, they have enough places for a home there ;-(
Found loads of frogs in my garden hiding under logs and the likes. No signs of hedgehogs sadly. I'd love to have one of those in the garden, they have enough places for a home there ;-(
In reply to divadsci:
Thanks for the suggestion. I was hoping to avoid introducing them artificially, but may end up resorting to that next year.
Thanks for the suggestion. I was hoping to avoid introducing them artificially, but may end up resorting to that next year.
In reply to cap'nChino:
I do count myself very lucky to have hedgehogs. My back garden backs on to a large woodland, so is an ideal place for them. However, I still have only had about 4 separate sightings in the last 2.5 years, which shows how rare they are getting.
I do count myself very lucky to have hedgehogs. My back garden backs on to a large woodland, so is an ideal place for them. However, I still have only had about 4 separate sightings in the last 2.5 years, which shows how rare they are getting.
In reply to Neil Henson:
As you say it's a wildlife pond, I'm guessing it's set up to sustain a frog population. Some garden ponds are a bit sterile/unsuitable, tiny,. with steep sides, and lack of pondside and subaquatic cover etc. But as you have observed the same froggy deficit locally elsewhere, then you may have to be more proactive in enticing the creatures next breeding season. Have you tried hiding in a nearby shrub of an evening, and croaking at intervals?
and
http://www.bbcwildlife.org.uk/Unusual%20Frog%20Mortality
As you say it's a wildlife pond, I'm guessing it's set up to sustain a frog population. Some garden ponds are a bit sterile/unsuitable, tiny,. with steep sides, and lack of pondside and subaquatic cover etc. But as you have observed the same froggy deficit locally elsewhere, then you may have to be more proactive in enticing the creatures next breeding season. Have you tried hiding in a nearby shrub of an evening, and croaking at intervals?
and
http://www.bbcwildlife.org.uk/Unusual%20Frog%20Mortality
Post edited at 15:56
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In reply to Neil Henson:
I think that I have close to a thousand tadpoles in my pond, though I can't be too sure as they move around too quickly.
I think that I have close to a thousand tadpoles in my pond, though I can't be too sure as they move around too quickly.
In reply to Neil Henson:
I think it takes a while for wildlife ponds to get established and then settle down to some sort of equilibrium. Watching the arrival of new species and the gradual increase in variety is one of the best things. We have had one for about 20 years now and it is absolutely teeming with life.
This year we had a load of frogs but not so much frog spawn - I think they felt too inhibited by the cat staring at them and occasionally lifting them out for a closer look (though he rarely kills them).
Sadly, the tadpoles only lasted a few days after hatching before they had all disappeared. We have absolutely loads of common newts and I suspect them of hoovering up the little frog tadpoles. I removed some frogspawn to a trough and they seem to be doing OK in there though there isn't enough space for that many.
I think it takes a while for wildlife ponds to get established and then settle down to some sort of equilibrium. Watching the arrival of new species and the gradual increase in variety is one of the best things. We have had one for about 20 years now and it is absolutely teeming with life.
This year we had a load of frogs but not so much frog spawn - I think they felt too inhibited by the cat staring at them and occasionally lifting them out for a closer look (though he rarely kills them).
Sadly, the tadpoles only lasted a few days after hatching before they had all disappeared. We have absolutely loads of common newts and I suspect them of hoovering up the little frog tadpoles. I removed some frogspawn to a trough and they seem to be doing OK in there though there isn't enough space for that many.
In reply to Neil Henson:
Thanks. We have actually stopped replenishing tadpoles, as any adults would inevitably meet a cat shaped end rather quickly. I still see plenty of frogs in the countryside, though.
What worries me much more is that there are practically no insects visiting our garden flowers. With bit of luck we can see (or hear) a solitary bumblebee or Syrphid fly, when the flower beds should be buzzing. I squarely blame this ion the industrial farming in the surrounding countryside: Every bumblebee or butterfly that visits the fields will get killed by neonicotinoid residues, or by starvation as all wild weeds are killed by glyphosate.
Silent spring MarkII, but our criminal government wants to give such practises an even bigger advantage over traditional farming through TTIP!
CB
Thanks. We have actually stopped replenishing tadpoles, as any adults would inevitably meet a cat shaped end rather quickly. I still see plenty of frogs in the countryside, though.
What worries me much more is that there are practically no insects visiting our garden flowers. With bit of luck we can see (or hear) a solitary bumblebee or Syrphid fly, when the flower beds should be buzzing. I squarely blame this ion the industrial farming in the surrounding countryside: Every bumblebee or butterfly that visits the fields will get killed by neonicotinoid residues, or by starvation as all wild weeds are killed by glyphosate.
Silent spring MarkII, but our criminal government wants to give such practises an even bigger advantage over traditional farming through TTIP!
CB
2
In reply to Neil Henson:
We're lucky to be fairly rural and I established a sizable pond two years ago. It seems to have taken off very satisfactorily, frogs and toads have spawned already (tank of toadpoles on my study window as I work) and smooth and palmate newts breeding now.
We'll need plenty of tadpoles, since they are near the bottom of the food chain at this stage and there's a healthy population of over-wintered large dragonfly nymphs and Dytiscus larvae...
We had a wildlife highlight last weekend, while we had friends round for dinner a hare ambled across the lawn about 10 feet away and we had a display of vole-catching from the local barn owl shortly afterwards.
We're lucky to be fairly rural and I established a sizable pond two years ago. It seems to have taken off very satisfactorily, frogs and toads have spawned already (tank of toadpoles on my study window as I work) and smooth and palmate newts breeding now.
We'll need plenty of tadpoles, since they are near the bottom of the food chain at this stage and there's a healthy population of over-wintered large dragonfly nymphs and Dytiscus larvae...
We had a wildlife highlight last weekend, while we had friends round for dinner a hare ambled across the lawn about 10 feet away and we had a display of vole-catching from the local barn owl shortly afterwards.
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In reply to Neil Henson:
It's possible we have your frog's.
We have a wildlife pond too and normally have 50 to 75 frogs each year doing their thing but after the mild winter we had well over 100 that we could count at any given time.
The clump of spawn was around 1 meter in diameter.
The newts and fish have had their share of the taddies but lots have survived.
If we have another mild winter combined with the amount of frog friendly space and hideaways in the garden we will be over run next year.
It's possible we have your frog's.
We have a wildlife pond too and normally have 50 to 75 frogs each year doing their thing but after the mild winter we had well over 100 that we could count at any given time.
The clump of spawn was around 1 meter in diameter.
The newts and fish have had their share of the taddies but lots have survived.
If we have another mild winter combined with the amount of frog friendly space and hideaways in the garden we will be over run next year.
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In reply to Neil Henson:
Seems to have been a bad year here as well. Tiny amount of young frogs making their escape. Bats, voles have also declined. Slow worms and grass snakes seem to be on the up though. Rabbits seem to be suffering from a deadly disease that doesn't look like mixxie.
On the upside, the Cockchafer's are back (not seen one for a couple of years) and I hopefully have avoided causing a small environmental disaster (provided I do avoid it I'll post details later!).
Seems to have been a bad year here as well. Tiny amount of young frogs making their escape. Bats, voles have also declined. Slow worms and grass snakes seem to be on the up though. Rabbits seem to be suffering from a deadly disease that doesn't look like mixxie.
On the upside, the Cockchafer's are back (not seen one for a couple of years) and I hopefully have avoided causing a small environmental disaster (provided I do avoid it I'll post details later!).
In reply to Neil Henson:
As our local toad crossing monitor I can tell you there were more frogs and toads this year than last. Your frogs should be returning from their spawning location by now. I have a bucket pond and there are at least 2 frogs back in it now.
As our local toad crossing monitor I can tell you there were more frogs and toads this year than last. Your frogs should be returning from their spawning location by now. I have a bucket pond and there are at least 2 frogs back in it now.
In reply to Neil Henson:
We had quite a lot this year, but they were a bit earlier than usual. They soon leave the pond and are found lurking around our unkempt garden!
We had quite a lot this year, but they were a bit earlier than usual. They soon leave the pond and are found lurking around our unkempt garden!
In reply to Neil Henson:
I thought the same, but then a chap brought in a jar of tadpoles from his pond for someone who had none.so there are some about.
I had seen very few on the hills this year, but finally last week on the tops in Glen Etive ( in the heat) I found an almost dried out lochan, and some almost dried out spawn. I scooped it up, and delivered it to the deepest part if the remaining water.
On the edges I then noticed a foot square of about 1mm of water with hundreds of almost marooned tadpoles, which I again managed to transfer to the remaining water. There has been some rain since, ( torrential today) so I'm hopeful that it was not a wasted effort.
On the descent into a gully, I came across a small frog ( only the one though)
I thought the same, but then a chap brought in a jar of tadpoles from his pond for someone who had none.so there are some about.
I had seen very few on the hills this year, but finally last week on the tops in Glen Etive ( in the heat) I found an almost dried out lochan, and some almost dried out spawn. I scooped it up, and delivered it to the deepest part if the remaining water.
On the edges I then noticed a foot square of about 1mm of water with hundreds of almost marooned tadpoles, which I again managed to transfer to the remaining water. There has been some rain since, ( torrential today) so I'm hopeful that it was not a wasted effort.
On the descent into a gully, I came across a small frog ( only the one though)
Post edited at 22:36
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In reply to Neil Henson:
"Of the froglets that leave the pond, only a handful will make it to adulthood – the rest will get eaten by other predators including grass snakes, blackbirds, crows, magpies, hedgehogs, foxes and badgers. "
So your hedgehogs could be part of the problem
http://www.froglife.org/info-advice/spawn-tadpoles-larvae/#sthash.W6DEeWty....
> Where are all the frogs this year?
> On the plus side I did have 3 hedgehogs in my back garden (at the same time) last night, so pretty chuffed with that!
> Cheers
> Neil
> On the plus side I did have 3 hedgehogs in my back garden (at the same time) last night, so pretty chuffed with that!
> Cheers
> Neil
"Of the froglets that leave the pond, only a handful will make it to adulthood – the rest will get eaten by other predators including grass snakes, blackbirds, crows, magpies, hedgehogs, foxes and badgers. "
So your hedgehogs could be part of the problem
http://www.froglife.org/info-advice/spawn-tadpoles-larvae/#sthash.W6DEeWty....
In reply to Neil Henson:
No Frogs here but I do have a small family of large toads under my shed that keep the local cats fasinated
No Frogs here but I do have a small family of large toads under my shed that keep the local cats fasinated
In reply to Neil Henson: Not as many as last year in our pond but still plenty of spawn in there. We normally have dozens of them but we've only seen a handfull so far.
In reply to Neil Henson:
But he had three in his garden, so unless he lives in several acres , that is a significant number in a normal sized garden , and they could have eaten frog spawn.
> Good point, but I sincerely doubt that the local hedgehog population is sufficient to have a noticeable impact on frog numbers. Hedgehogs are getting severely rare these days.
But he had three in his garden, so unless he lives in several acres , that is a significant number in a normal sized garden , and they could have eaten frog spawn.
1
In reply to NathanP:
I removed some frogspawn to a trough and they seem to be doing OK in there though there isn't enough space for that many.
Worth a try, although remember and put a boulder in for them to climb onto when they start to develop legs, or they will eventually drown if they sides are too steep for them to get out.
I removed some frogspawn to a trough and they seem to be doing OK in there though there isn't enough space for that many.
Worth a try, although remember and put a boulder in for them to climb onto when they start to develop legs, or they will eventually drown if they sides are too steep for them to get out.
In reply to Neil Henson:
Our first 2 years here, the pond in the wood was full of tadpoles, I feed them tins (opened!) of dog food which they love and helps them grow. Last year none of the spawn hatched and this year I have a very few tadpoles.
I can't work out why the masses of spawn is dieing, it isn't being frosted and my only idea is that the spawn on the bottom of the pond is being covered in silt from the small inflow ditch, but I don't know. Otherwise something in the water killing the spawn, but it isn't killing the beetles and bugs so that doesn't equate.
A puzzle, any ideas?
Our first 2 years here, the pond in the wood was full of tadpoles, I feed them tins (opened!) of dog food which they love and helps them grow. Last year none of the spawn hatched and this year I have a very few tadpoles.
I can't work out why the masses of spawn is dieing, it isn't being frosted and my only idea is that the spawn on the bottom of the pond is being covered in silt from the small inflow ditch, but I don't know. Otherwise something in the water killing the spawn, but it isn't killing the beetles and bugs so that doesn't equate.
A puzzle, any ideas?
1
In reply to Neil Henson:
Thanks for all your replies. I guess I just need to be more patient. Plenty of insect life has already established in the pond - pond snails, freshwater shrimp and a couple of water boatmen. The fact that a frog has visited in the past is a good sign too.
Cheers
Neil
Thanks for all your replies. I guess I just need to be more patient. Plenty of insect life has already established in the pond - pond snails, freshwater shrimp and a couple of water boatmen. The fact that a frog has visited in the past is a good sign too.
Cheers
Neil
In reply to Neil Henson:
I was talking to someone in a pub last night in a rural part of Hertfordshire who said that because of the very mild winter there's been an enormous increase in the number of rodents this year, particularly rats. I suspect that may have something to do with it. He said that he had had to use 20 times the amount of rat poison this year, and had shot three.
I was talking to someone in a pub last night in a rural part of Hertfordshire who said that because of the very mild winter there's been an enormous increase in the number of rodents this year, particularly rats. I suspect that may have something to do with it. He said that he had had to use 20 times the amount of rat poison this year, and had shot three.
Post edited at 12:23
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
He said that he had had to use 20 times the amount of rat poison this year, and had shot three.
Maybe all that Rat poison was killing the frogs ?
He said that he had had to use 20 times the amount of rat poison this year, and had shot three.
Maybe all that Rat poison was killing the frogs ?
Post edited at 12:31
In reply to Moley:
Very interesting, and I would like to know the answer too.
Perhaps you can post this scenario on a more nature specific forum, and report back on the responses.
> I can't work out why the masses of spawn is dieing, it isn't being frosted and my only idea is that the spawn on the bottom of the pond is being covered in silt from the small inflow ditch, but I don't know. Otherwise something in the water killing the spawn, but it isn't killing the beetles and bugs so that doesn't equate.
> A puzzle, any ideas?
Very interesting, and I would like to know the answer too.
Perhaps you can post this scenario on a more nature specific forum, and report back on the responses.
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
I had been expecting a population explosion (anywhere you have hens, rats aren't far away) but was bit mystified by the sudden absence of evidence of rats. Then I saw a stoat wandering past the house on its way to the barn. Perfectly targeted biological control...
Then, last Saturday night, I met the first hedgehog I've seen on the property in the last 8 years, so the biodiversity seems to be coming on nicely.
> I was talking to someone in a pub last night in a rural part of Hertfordshire who said that because of the very mild winter there's been an enormous increase in the number of rodents this year, particularly rats.
I had been expecting a population explosion (anywhere you have hens, rats aren't far away) but was bit mystified by the sudden absence of evidence of rats. Then I saw a stoat wandering past the house on its way to the barn. Perfectly targeted biological control...
Then, last Saturday night, I met the first hedgehog I've seen on the property in the last 8 years, so the biodiversity seems to be coming on nicely.
In reply to Moley:
Spawn tends to develop and hatch best where it is laid somewhere shallow and which warms quickly, and being silted over definitely isn't ideal. Another possibility is that it wasn't fertilised efficiently as it was laid.
> I can't work out why the masses of spawn is dieing, it isn't being frosted and my only idea is that the spawn on the bottom of the pond is being covered in silt from the small inflow ditch, but I don't know.
Spawn tends to develop and hatch best where it is laid somewhere shallow and which warms quickly, and being silted over definitely isn't ideal. Another possibility is that it wasn't fertilised efficiently as it was laid.
In reply to petellis:
This year, I have heard that far fewer have migrated this far North, because the coconuts they carry were above average weight.
With the added payload, the swallows were unable to flap their wings the required 43 times a second to remain airborne for extended periods.
> Where are the swallows this year as well? I haven't seen a single one.
This year, I have heard that far fewer have migrated this far North, because the coconuts they carry were above average weight.
With the added payload, the swallows were unable to flap their wings the required 43 times a second to remain airborne for extended periods.
In reply to petellis:
Long since arrived and now nesting here in the Peak (house martins too and I even saw some swifts yesterday). How far north are you?
Long since arrived and now nesting here in the Peak (house martins too and I even saw some swifts yesterday). How far north are you?
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