Frogs and frogspawn

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by posie

Funny you should say that Susie, but I was saying how skinny my 3 frogs were. Dan Salter accused me of being frogskinnyphobic.....Posie ...( Or was it Skinnyfrogophobic)?

I said you were Skinnyest

[joe_b]

Well, I've had the same solitary frog staking out my pond for two weeks now, day and night sat just under the waterline. I guess he/she is waiting for mates to appear.

Do the males appear first or vice-versa?

[posie]

[quote=joe_b;603778]Well, I've had the same solitary frog staking out my pond for two weeks now, day and night sat just under the waterline. I guess he/she is waiting for mates to appear.

Do the males appear first or vice-versa?[/QU

Usually males first apparantly, according to what other people have said..
Have you heard him croaking.?

[Malcolm Banks]

Having had a batch of spawn as the first evidence of frog activity I was also intrigued by JoeB's query about who makes the first move. I suppose intuitively, since the males allegedly croak to attract females, then as Posie says they most probably arrive first. There is a nice BBC item on the subject BBC - Science & Nature - Wildfacts - Common frog, grass frog that confirms Posie's suggestion.
Another batch of spawn overnight, lost count now, but I have noticed there is one batch that was laid in the original tranche 27/28th Feb that is not developing. Because of the position I think it more likely that the reason for this is that they were not covered by the male rather than (as some others) they were affected by the freezing. So, was probably too cold for him to come out to play
M

[posie]

Another batch of spawn overnight, lost count now, but I have noticed there is one batch that was laid in the original tranche 27/28th Feb that is not developing. Because of the position I think it more likely that the reason for this is that they were not covered by the male rather than (as some others) they were affected by the freezing. So, was probably too cold for him to come out to play
M[/quote]

I didn't think that the female would lay her eggs unless a male was there on top of her gripping her body with his front feet/hands. Maybe I am wrong, because I don't think I read it anywhere, just came out of my reasoning. Or p'raps he was there and his bits got too cold at the crucial moment, and he pushed off into a warmer part of the pond, or perhaps the sperm froze and died immediately as he did it. HeyHo we'll never know ! Posie..

[Malcolm Banks]

Maybe he had a hangover from the wedding party the night before
Serously though I think you are right in that the act of spawning probably has to be triggered by amplexus.
M

[joe_b]

There hasn't been any croaking from our froggie (we've been out at night a few times to listen in). It's also quite fat-looking, which makes me think it may be a female?

[posie]

Originally Posted by joe_b

There hasn't been any croaking from our froggie (we've been out at night a few times to listen in). It's also quite fat-looking, which makes me think it may be a female?

Sounds as though it is a girlie frog. Are you sure there isn't a little lad frog hiding in or under the weed? (Cowardy Custard). Guess you are in the same boat (excuse the pun) as a lot of us froggers, it's just a case of wait and see.

[Susie]

Finally they're spawing

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Susie

Finally they're spawing

Half of my pond looks like a tapioca pudding with all the spawn + there's still lots of high jinks going on in the pond.