Tadpoles

Sandra Slayter · #1 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 05:19 PM

Can anyone advise me why some of our tadpoles are still in our pond and have not developed into frogs - this has happened again for the second year.

Thanks!

Harry Eales · #2 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 08:02 PM

Hello Sandra,

First, welcome to Wild Britain. Your not alone in noticing this oddity, I've seen it on several occasions over the past five decades.

It could be for several reasons:-

A lack of suitable food
Over population for the size of the pond which results in the above.
A very late breeding female.

There are probably many other reasons.

I have seen tadpoles in late December, which I presume reached adulthood in spring, provided the winter didn't kill them off.

Harry

Dogghound · #3 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 08:13 PM

This is actually very common, when tadpoles dont get enough nutrients and heat. It is likely they will overwinter like this and develop next year, is your pond new? does it have fish? plants? lots of insects?

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 15-08-2010, 05:56 AM

I remember seeing a programme on the TV about the wildlife of the Highlands. I t showed Common Frogs breeding with snow on the ground + because of the short season, tadpoles regularly took 2 years to complete their metamorphosis.

Dorts · #5 (**permalink**) 15-08-2010, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I remember seeing a programme on the TV about the wildlife of the Highlands. I t showed Common Frogs breeding with snow on the ground + because of the short season, tadpoles regularly took 2 years to complete their metamorphosis.

In Natterjack Toads, (Epidalea calamita, syn. Bufo calimati,) the
tadpoles freqently overwinter as they require a slightly longer period of warmer water to reach full developement. To achieve this the water needs to be fairly shallow for it to warm-up quickly each day bringing the danger of their pools drying out and/or freezing over. Part of the reason they are so scarce.
Dorts.