Frogs vs Newts

[Lymmguineas]

Hi,
I set up a wildlife pond in my garden last year and am pleased to say that this year I’ve seen at least four adult frogs and the pond is full of tadpoles, most of which have now got legs and are starting to venture out. Yesterday though, I spotted a newt in the pond. It was about 2 inches long and yellow in colour. I think it might be a palmate.
My question is will frogs and newts co-exist in the same pond? The pond itself is approx 8 foot long by four foot wide and maybe 10 inches deep at the deepest part so not a lot of space for them to avoid each other. Are the frogs likely to eat any young newts if I’m lucky enough to get some?

[bigdave60dog]

I have built and kept very successful pond for years and never found any noticeable conflict between amphibians. Never seen Palmates though.
Dave

[~T~]

Usually once newts move in to a pond in sufficient numbers the frog population will decline, more noticeably in smaller ponds as the newts prey heavily on the spawn and tadpoles of frogs. As your pond sounds quite large you might find they strike a balance but there will never be as many frogs making it to froglet stage as without the newts.

[Lymmguineas]

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

I have built and kept very successful pond for years and never found any noticeable conflict between amphibians. Never seen Palmates though.
Dave

Hi Dave,
I may be wrong about it being a Palmate. I assumed it was as I read somewhere on the net that they could be yellow. Having done a bit more browsing, its colour and appearance are very like this one FAQs about newts: unusual colour

[Mark_b]

If you could get a few photos of the newt that would be handy, a side on view in the pond may be enough, although ideally if you could carefully catch a newt and get a picture of it's throat/belly that will aid identification as appearance/colour isn't enough for a full I.D.

Newts don't have any skeletal protection on their underside so be careful not to squish it if you do handle one.

This website is handy for UK amphibian and reptile I.D info

RAUK Identification Guide

[GCN lova]

in a big pond the newts will keep the frogs in balance but in smaller ponds they may wipe out a population. toadpoles will have a better chance unless GCNs take residence.

[galanthophile]

Both co-exist quite happily in my pond

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by galanthophile

Both co-exist quite happily in my pond

They always have in mine as well. I do wonder if -: a. the decline in frogs has another reason or b. Some information is second hand from friends or gleaned from books and internet rather than from direct experience.
Dave

[shotski]

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

They always have in mine as well. I do wonder if -: a. the decline in frogs has another reason or b. Some information is second hand from friends or gleaned from books and internet rather than from direct experience.
Dave

I have seen every tadpole in my garden pond taken by newts for 3 years on the trot. The FACT is if you have a small/medium size pond and a large newt
population the frogs have almost ZERO chance.

Shotski

[marvin]

Originally Posted by shotski

I have seen every tadpole in my garden pond taken by newts for 3 years on the trot. The FACT is if you have a small/medium size pond and a large newt
population the frogs have almost ZERO chance.

Shotski

true. i've seen it myself. newts can devour a small pop of spawn/newly hatched tads in no time.

tim