Frogs, toads and newts...

Aleem · #1 (**permalink**) 18-04-2006, 01:26 PM

Hi, i built myself a small pond (approx 1.4 meters by 0.6 meters by 0.4 meters(depth)) about 5 years ago because of my love for aquatic life.

I have always had a decent amount of creatures visiting including frogs toads and newts.

However, last year i noticed a significant increase in the newt poulation and there were NO frog/toad tadpoles at all(acctually i did find one), even though there was frog spawn. I wasn't sure why this happened so this year when the frogs spawned i removed one clump of the spawn and raised them into tadpoles in an old aquarium i have until they were large sized, when i released them back into the pond.

Now, they are the only tadpoles present, even though i saw small tadpoles recently after hatching and swimming in the shallow areas of the pond, they have all dissapeared. I have also noticed another increase in the amount of newts present- they are clearly visible anytime i look into the pond and there are 7+, they look crowded as the pond is very small.

I was wondering if it was the newts that destroyed the tadpole population- possibly eating the tadpoles? because the tadpoles i raised myself are doing fine and i noticed they would be too big for the newts to eat...

Any ideas appreciated,

Aleem

FungiJohn · #2 (**permalink**) 18-04-2006, 01:56 PM

More like greedy blackbirds and magpies Aleem

They feed on my spawn each year (but I do have a lot!) My newts seem to keep themselves to themselves

Welcome to WAB btw

John

Aleem · #3 (**permalink**) 18-04-2006, 02:33 PM

thanks, i did kinda suspect that because the area where the frogs spawned was very shallow and the tadpoles were clearly visible.. my cats were always watching but never touched them.

FungiJohn · #4 (**permalink**) 18-04-2006, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleem

thanks, i did kinda suspect that because the area where the frogs spawned was very shallow and the tadpoles were clearly visible.. my cats were always watching but never touched them.

Are you sure about you're cats .... Ours does

Aleem · #5 (**permalink**) 18-04-2006, 03:30 PM

pretty sure, yep, the cats love mice but have never brought home a frog...

they do drink from the pond though, which isnt very nice when you think about whats in there

Gill Catton · #6 (**permalink**) 18-04-2006, 06:07 PM

I'm assuming you don't have fish?
Newts will eat baby tadpoles but they quickly become too big, but six or seven even twenty would be unlikely I would've thought to be able to keep up with the hundreds that would hatch from spawn, that's what frog reply on, a glut of babies that are too many for the predators to eat. Perhaps there's a fungus problem in the pond reducing the number that hatch. Newts tend to spend longer in the water during the breeding seaon than frogs and toads that tend to quickly spawn and leave - maybe returning if it's particularly dry, so that may be why you're seeing more newts rather than frogs. Or maybe a nearby pond has been filled in and the newts are forced to use your pond boosting the numbers.
Particularly frog tadpoles are also food for an awful lot of things, dragonfly larvae, greater water-boatmen, birds, diving beetles (this is a good thing, they are supporting diversity) it's probably a combination of factors, but frogs are fantastic opportunists sooner or later the numbers will probably pick up again.
In the mean time enjoy the newts! What kind of newts do you have by the way?

Aleem · #7 (**permalink**) 19-04-2006, 06:56 AM

All the newts are currently smooth newts... i think you may be right about the fungus because i get massive amounts of unhactched spawn, infact i remove alot yesterday, it really stank. The tadpoles i raised are doing fine though thankfully, maybe ill have a few mini frogs!

by the way there are no fish

nightshade · #8 (**permalink**) 19-04-2006, 07:33 AM

The aftermath of frantic breeding in my pond is dead frogs and toads turning up all over the garden (half a dozen to date)
The remaining frogs and toads seem to be fine, no floaters,they all look healthy no red leg,
spawning always has casualties I know but this is the most to date

fbcpmike · #9 (**permalink**) 19-04-2006, 08:06 AM

We did the same as you, built a small pond about the same size as yours which was quickly colonised by frogs, dragonflys, damselflys, beetles and the like, but no toads which we were hoping for as they were in the area. The next year a newt appeared to which we introduced a male, last year I counted over 20 newts so they have done well.

Tadpoles are predated by the Newts and Dragonflys, but their numbers helps to counteract the predation. The newts seem to spend quite a bit of time in the pond, I've seen them right through to July and the same with the Frogs, a few remaining for many months. Newt larvae can ocasionally overwinter.

tusonj · #10 (**permalink**) 16-05-2010, 02:30 PM

I have a garden pond in which a large number of frogs spawn each year. Last year I found my first newt. This year there are several newts. The frog spawn hatched this year and there were loads of tiny tadpoles but suddenly they all vanished. At this time of year I would normally be able to find many large tadpoles but there are none. I can't help feeling the arrival of the newts in larger numbers and the disappearance of the tadpoles are linked. Any ideas?