Do frogs need water....

[Willo]

... in which to live and breed? I know this could be a stupid question having learnt from an early age that they do but the last couple of summers have sown a seed of doubt which I hope the more knowledgeable members maybe able to help me with.




Last summer this very handsome fella (or felless I know not which) was a most welcome resident in my allotment, presumably finding moisture under the grass in the less well tended areas of the plot. There is no pond like structure for at least 100m around although there are a number of troughs and barrels containing water although I would have thought that these are inaccessible being quite tall structures.

The other observation that has prompted this question is that, for the last two or three years we have been briefly inundated with baby frogs heading off down the hill. I have no idea from where they have come as there is very little standing water in the vicinity. Do the baby frogs have a very big range or is there a possibility that frogs can breed in very moist areas or in very small areas of standing water like puddles? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Frogs need standing water to breed, a puddle that persists till June can suffice, but it has to be a body of water fro the eggs and tadpoles to develop. The adults and froglets however just need a damp environment so their skin does not dry out and they hunt almost exclusively on land, great for pest control!

[Willo]

I do feel a tad embarrassed asking that question but what does have me intrigued is the range these young frogs have. There is no standing water for at least three or four hundred metres, maybe more, to the North, South and West. To the East there is twenty metres of thick undergrowth then a quiet road and then houses which may have ponds. The fact that we have so many passing through at a similar time suggests that they haven't come from far enough for them to have dispersed. Perhaps I should investigate the undergrowth more thoroughly, there could be some standing water there.

They do make excellent pest controllers, once the frog in the picture turned up I had a lot less slug damage. Hope he hangs around this year.

[Jez]

If you like the frog hanging could you provide a small shallow pool in a corner of your patch if you have the space? Then you can admire those gloopy spawn turning into wigglers and watch them develop to little frogs!

[Dogghound]

Yes Felless in this case.

[Willo]

Jez, I wish I had the space. I am trying to take over some of the plot next door. If I succeed I might do as you suggest.

Dogghound, please can you explain how you can tell the difference?