Frogspawn in unusual places...

[missdipsy]

I noticed a strange "blob" of some gloopy substance behind the rear wheel of our car yesterday; on closer inspection I noticed it seemed to have dripped down from the rear wheel arch, as there were a few small blobs left there. Thinking it was some kind of leak from the car, I didn't drive in case it was something critical for its safe functioning! When I got home again, I took a good look at the "gloop" and it suddenly dawned on me that it looked an awful lot like dirty, slightly dehydrated frogspawn - there were even a couple that looked like they were almost tadpole shaped already!

I can't for the life of me work out how it got there, the only explanation I can think of is that a very confused frog somehow thought that our rear wheel arch was a good place to spawn. We've only really driven the car on city roads recently, so I don't think we drove through a puddle that contained spawn which then got stuck to the tyre or anything... and if we'd driven over it I suspect it would have looked a lot more squashed!

I've put the spawn in a container of rainwater in our back garden just in case some of it survives... I'll have to think of something pretty sharpish if they do start to hatch as we don't have pond. Might be a good excuse to make one though!

Anyone else found frogspawn in an strange location? And does anyone have any better ideas about how my frogspawn got there?!

[Gill Catton]

Perhaps you ran over a frog or toad? (in which case the spawn won't be fertile)

[toadpole]

hi there missdipsyhow very strange i am thinking the same as you it was in a puddle of water that was perhaps drying up a bit and you went through it i in the car and the spawn had become a bit ''tacky'' and clung to your tyre ??? at least you have tried to give it a chance ...and yes dig a pond ....you wont be sorry Marion

[Malx]

Missdipsy, I can't comment on how attractive your back tyre is, but maybe your first theory was right!

You DON'T have a pond?!? Are you crazy?

It's the easiest DIY project in the world, and even cheaper than something as pointless, inconsequential and anti-ecological as tiling your bathroom/kitchen/lavatory, say.
There's nothing more useful you can do in your garden all year than creating a puddle. It doesn't need to be the Serpentine - some frog will move into a waterproofed shoebox if you call it "Toad Hall" and put it on the market. Do it soon, though, to enjoy all the seasonal tax-breaks!

Got anything planned this weekend?

P.S. Save all the dug-up top soil somewhere. It'll always come in handy later, especially if you mix it with home-made compost and use it for planting.

P.P.S. Don't fall for all the pondy websites' hype to buy everything all at once. You can easily add pond plants year-on-year by getting them from friends, neighbours etc. Wildlife doesn't need wallpaper.

Here's a good place to start your research: How to make a wildlife pond

[Malcolm Banks]

Perhaps it's a sort of prequel to the plague of the Pharoahs (About as likely as the wheel arch theory imo) Although I'm not sure what effect it would have on the spawn, I favour the driving through ditch hypothesis marginally over the squashed frog, since in the latter you might expect to see other bits of frog amongst the treads

For sure if any hatch out, that squashes the squash hypothesis
M

[SheffieldLass]

I've found frogspawn up high in a hedge near to my pond. It would appear that the frog was caught by a predator, possibly whilst laying the spawn, or the spawn was released or discarded when the frog was eaten or prepared for being eaten ...

[missdipsy]

Originally Posted by Malx

You DON'T have a pond?!? Are you crazy?

It has been said

We moved here less than a year ago, and the garden was pretty neglected so haven't had a lot of time to do much "landscaping" (I spent the first few months waging war on the bindweed, nettles & brambles! All organically, I hasten to add, so it's taken a long time). A small pond is definitely on my wishlist, though, but I do have kids (& friends with very young children), so need to think it though carefully from a safety point of view. Was thinking about putting one out the front (where the kids don't usually play) but then I won't get quite the same benefit from the frogs feasting on the slugs etc, and there's more chance the frogs will get run over if they venture from the pond. Out the back is much better for wildlife as we've got woods behind us. But yeah, I do want one, it's just not quite as simple as deciding to do it and getting out in the garden to dig one!

Thanks everyone for the theories; there definitely wasn't a squashed frog (or noticeable traces of one) on the wheel (plus there did seem to be a few tadpole shaped things so I presume it was fertile), and I haven't really driven anywhere particularly "wild" in the last few weeks, just boring trips on busy city roads. It is of course possible that it had been laid in a puddle that I drove through, but I really can't think of anywhere I've driven where such a puddle wouldn't be regularly disturbed by traffic. And the frogspawn didn't look very squashed - it was slightly damaged in places, though, because I'd been poking it with a stick before I worked out what it was! It definitely looked like there were traces on the edge of the wheel arch, which is why I wondered if a frog could have actually laid it there - there's a little bit where the bumper meets the wheel arch where water probably collects. Not exactly prime spawning territory but I don't know of any ponds nearby so perhaps the frog got desperate?! Although of course, if there are no ponds nearby it's hard to explain where the frog came from...

[missdipsy]

I've realised the flaw with my wheel arch theory is that it would involve TWO confused frogs, not just one, which makes it seem even less plausible.

I'm just going to have to live with the fact that it's a mystery...

[rachel17021992]

hey strangley I found frogspawn in my back garden which I think my cats may have brought back haha, I have also put the frogspawn in a pot with some tap water to see if I can keep them alive, and have put the pot in my shed so that no other animal can get to them and eat them if they are alive. im not sure what to do next really...I have been researching on the internet and it seem that if the frogspawn are white then they have died but if they still have a black dot in the middle of the jelly stuff then there could still be some hope for them. =] if you find any other information about what to do next can you please email me at: x-xsexyrachx-x@hotmail.co.uk and i will do likewise thanks

[dubqueen]

They need to be outside rather than in a garage - not much light maybe could retard their development?? The spawn probably wont be touched if its outside in a small container. Why not go out and buy a cheap plastic aquarium, bung a bit of gravel in the bottom and a few pond plants if you have access to them. Put it somewhere fairly shady otherwise you could end up cooking them if we have a run of sunny days!

And rainwater is infinately preferable to tap water - at the moment theres plenty of it around in my neck of the woods!