Frogs and frogspawn

[The Woodman]

You lucky people! My little pond is still frozen although a few more days like this and I'm sure there'll be some movement.

[Moonmoth]

Now Posie , dont get too excited!!!! I didnt say I had spotted any Prince Charmings all I said was it was possible to partake in an unbridled mating frenzy if you so wish .

[posie]

Originally Posted by Moonmoth

Now Posie , dont get too excited!!!! I didnt say I had spotted any Prince Charmings all I said was it was possible to partake in an unbridled mating frenzy if you so wish .

Oh, OK, I'll stay here then !

[posie]

accidently deleted all my suscribed threads....

[tameblackbirds]

I have recorded frogspawn arrival in my pond since 2004 the latest recorded appearance I have is 24th March 2006. Since then they have been appearing in the first week of March. looks like they will appear at the end of March this year as no sign as yet! Released in my pond 2002.

[posie]

Originally Posted by tameblackbirds

I have recorded frogspawn arrival in my pond since 2004 the latest recorded appearance I have is 24th March 2006. Since then they have been appearing in the first week of March. looks like they will appear at the end of March this year as no sign as yet! Released in my pond 2002.

Did you record any reason for 2006 being so late.? Possibly march frosts.?

[Malcolm Banks]

My spawn appeared on 27th Feb, exactly a week ealier than last year, so local conditions (local to particular ponds perhaps) may influence the decision to mate and spawn. Maybe my frogs were not reading the weather forecasts because after being battered by multiple freezes there was no sign of development in the eggs well beyond the same period last year (10 days). Today though a floating batch that had been laid into ca 6 inches of water showed signs of elongation - so maybe there is a God, or maybe it's degrees Celsius
My money is on most of the spawnless being blessed with deliveries within the next week
M

[posie]

Originally Posted by Malcolm Banks

My spawn appeared on 27th Feb, exactly a week ealier than last year, so local conditions (local to particular ponds perhaps) may influence the decision to mate and spawn. Maybe my frogs were not reading the weather forecasts because after being battered by multiple freezes there was no sign of development in the eggs well beyond the same period last year (10 days). Today though a floating batch that had been laid into ca 6 inches of water showed signs of elongation - so maybe there is a God, or maybe it's degrees Celsius
My money is on most of the spawnless being blessed with deliveries within the next week
M

Hi Malcolm,****************************************** ****************
I'd agree with your last sentence, that bitter cold wind has dropped here tonight (as forecast) and that improves things a lot. Maybe we will get some spawn. Let's hope so.

[Malcolm Banks]

Originally Posted by sbeau66

just looked at the pond but still no activity, but i am concerned (now i can see the bottom cuz its a bright day) that its very silted up, its about 1m deep in the middle and i can see the silt is leaving only about 30cm of clear water, so when the water warms up i assume that the water will be affected by all this silt and may go stagnant; help; i might vac some silt out later in the season and dump it next to the pond is this a good idea, anyone esle got this problem???

There is advice that a man-made WL pond should have silt reduced every 2 years or so (I would be interested in any contrary comments, with ratonale) My pond is now 2 years old and I am planning to vax at least some of the silt out of my pond deep area - I have delayed this until November, partly procrastination but mainly to cause least disruption to flora and fauna. I tried this procedure with my shallow end last November, since my sloping shingle beach was completely immersed in silt, mostly a result of taddies. I discharged the effluent into a large plastic container and allowed it to settle O/N. I then decanted the clear water and placed it back in the pond. The sludge was put through a large kitchen sieve and sprayed through to reveal inverts - all of which (including several large fat bodied chaser nymphs) were collected and returned to the pond. This took a while but overall I was pleased with how it went.
However, trying this on the deep end may well present problems if there are frogs hibernating, but I will give it a go and hope that if present (they should not be too torpid in early November) they will move out of the way.
M

[Malcolm Banks]

The full stops have turned to commas in at least some eggs in all of my 7 batches of spawn, great joy
M