Why no frogs ? We have newts, dragon flies and all, but no frogs.

Pondgirl · #1 (**permalink**) 27-05-2007, 12:17 PM

Hi, I have a more or less wildlife friendly pond which has been established for 3 years now, and everyspring I keep hoping to find frogspawn or toadspawn but this year there is nothing again.

I think the pond environment is right - at least half a dozen newts have established themselves from nowhere, and there are plenty of dragon flies and may flies, and plenty of 'creatures' crawling round in the bottom. I just can't understand why the frogs haven't appeared? What am I doing wrong? I haven't even see a visiting frog for the 3 years !

All suggestions appreciated! Thanks

Kymba · #2 (**permalink**) 27-05-2007, 12:38 PM

This could be down to the newts They are quite skilled at bitting through the spawns jelly coating to get at the developing tadpoles.

It seems to be a common problem lately... You might like to read this link where others are having the same problem.

BBC - Gardening - Weblog Cleve West

Kayleigh · #3 (**permalink**) 27-05-2007, 01:48 PM

Our pond is two years old now and we have never had frog spawn in it but we do have a small oak barrel on the patio that has had frog spawn in for two years running. We get toad spawn in the pond.

I don't think frogs will spawn where there are newts as they eat most of the tadpoles.

Gill Catton · #4 (**permalink**) 27-05-2007, 04:16 PM

not sure about that, maybe in smaller ponds it might be a factor but I have found frogs, toads and newts all in the same pond in a number of locations.

smartie · #5 (**permalink**) 27-05-2007, 06:59 PM

I've had frogs and newts in my pond every year since we put it in (about 15 years) - until this year, when I have seen only one frog and we had no frog spawn at all. Still plenty of newts. I'm stumped to account for it. Next door had as much frog spawn as usual.

Pondgirl · #6 (**permalink**) 30-05-2007, 10:23 AM

Thanks everyone. I'd never heard of newts eating frogspawn or tadpoles before. Would you see the frogspawn first and then the newts eat it, or do the frogs just not bother with that pond and go lay their eggs elsewhere? I just haven't even seen a frog once in the 3 years, and my mum's garden with no pond is full of frogs! Murphy's law in play definitely.

(Sorry for the slow reply, I've been having problems with my log-in.)

smartie · #7 (**permalink**) 30-05-2007, 11:34 AM

My previous experience has been that we see a lot of frog spawn and then the newts eat some of it. Some has always survived, and the frogs don't show much evidence of rational thought

I think in the case of my pond that the lack of frogs this year is for some other as yet unexplained reason.

Grrrrrr · #8 (**permalink**) 11-06-2007, 10:15 PM

I've noticed different ponds seem to attract frogs that breed at different times. A pond near me this year was absoltuely stuffed with frogs (as usual) on the first warm week this spring but then we had a cold snap just before they were about to spawn and they all vanished. In the end there were only 2 balls of spawn where the year before there had been literally hundreds of balls of spawn. However, earlier ponds were as full as before. Seems frogs don't like their routine broken, or maybe they visit many ponds in some order? Never thought of trying to track them to see if they spawn in more than one pond. Anyone else managed?

Anyway, to get back to the point, maybe your pond warms at a time out of sink with your local frog population? If it is in a shady position could some dark rocks help warm it up a little faster ans possible persuade a wandering frog to spawn?

GazNewt · #9 (**permalink**) 13-06-2007, 02:34 PM

I think Gill is right, it would take an army of newts to wipe out a load of frog spawn. Newts definitely eat tadpoles when they have just hatched and can't move for a few days

Fish will eat your frog spawn if you have any, especially carp. Also if the water is quite deep then the frog spawn might not hatch I think.

Also if the pond water is plain tap water then spawn just rots. I found this out last year when I re-lined my pond - although the shock of being housed overnight in a paddling pool in february might have stressed the frogs into having an infertile year

galanthophile · #10 (**permalink**) 18-12-2010, 05:46 PM

It's typical isn't it? I have newts and frogs and they seem to co-exist perfectly well but the frogs lay about 30-40 clumps of spawn. If you make the pond as natural as possible with places for them to hide, plenty of plants and a sloping edge the frogs should take up residence. Good luck.