| Toadpole Invasion
I built my pond about 10 years ago, and have a proliferation of frogs and spawn each year. The first frog appeared whilst the pond was only two weeks old and whilst it was still empty of all but water.
Only ever seen one toad in the garden in twenty years, although I suspect toads are more secretive.
I have just been told that the neighbour's kids have put a batch of tadpoles into my pond without my knowledge. Their mum told them to take them back where they came from but they chose the easier route. On examination it rather looks as if they may be toadpoles: very black compared with the tadpoles I already have. Obviously nothing I can do now about possible disease transmission, but they do look healthy enough.
My question is whether these new toadpoles will come to see my pond as their spawning ground in two or three years time? They will be welcome if they do, but the pond is only approximately 12 by 10 feet in size. The nearest toad breeding pond that I know of, maybe a mile away, is much larger, some 100 yards square, with a huge toadpole population....probably where the kids got theirs.
Will they out-compete the frogs? or vice versa? Or live harmoniously?  |