frog spawn on path

[amanda berry]

We live in London and have two small ponds - one very small - and one about 5ft x 4ft. There is a very small lump of frogspawn in the smaller pond. On sunday morning we found a lump of frogspawn (a large fist in size) on the path between the two ponds. Today I found more on the path - not very big lumps - but three of them - about a desert spoon in size. What is going on?

Last year we have spawn in both ponds and at most saw about 16 frogs. I have seen one or two frogs in both ponds but haven't seen any frogs in amplexus yet - in fact I haven't seen any frog activity at all. There are newts in the larger pond but haven't seen any yet in the smaller pond.

[tom00_uk]

have you many cats etc in the area?

could be a female is being popped open before making it to the pond, and in the relatively mild and damp nights the spawn expands and looks like its be laid there

[~T~]

Originally Posted by tom00_uk

have you many cats etc in the area?

could be a female is being popped open before making it to the pond, and in the relatively mild and damp nights the spawn expands and looks like its be laid there

I would agree. From seeing the roadkill ones and one that was killed and mostly eaten by a mink(or possibly an otter) the spawn was pretty much all that was left.

[amanda berry]

Thank you both.

We do have cats but we have installed a cat scarer - not sure how well it is working yet. We are, however, overrun with foxes as my neighbour insists on feeding them - could that be the problem?

But we have had cats and foxes around for years what would start them doing this now?

[nightshade]

I have Magpies and Crows that like Frog Spawn but so do some Foxes. Paws and jaws are better for manipulating the awkward jelly, the beaked are more oppertunistic and will stalk the edges of the pond with more success later taking tadpoles.

[amanda berry]

Thanks
I'm pathetic. I just want to weep when nature takes its course and my frogs come under attack - I need to man up a bit...

[STYRBJORN]

Red Robin was transferring it to the bigger pond and Putorius snuck up behind him and shouted "Gotcha" in his pearly shell-like. He dropped it and did a runner.

Ric

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by amanda berry

Thanks
I'm pathetic. I just want to weep when nature takes its course and my frogs come under attack - I need to man up a bit...

what you have to think about is... Look at all the spawn in the pond, now imagine all those tadpoles made it into being frogs and that nothing ate frogs... We'd all be knee deep in them!!!

They are so important for the ecological niche they fit. Not only because they eat slugs and insects but because they keep so many other animals alive and breeding too because they have so many babies . So it may be sad but its also a positive thing at the same time

[toadpole]

good one Ric ...made me nearly spit hot coffee all over my keyboardmarion