A distinct lack of naughty business.

kaitkaitkait · #1 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 12:51 PM

I've been reading with fascination and a little envy your posts about amphibians in amplexus and spawn arriving in clumps overnight and I was wondering if I am a little premature in getting depressed at the sad lack of amphibian life in my ponds so far this year.

Both of my ponds were dug last year though have naturalised well, and throughout the year there have been frogs and toads in abundance in and around the ponds and garden.

But there's no sign of them yet this year...could they still be hibernating in the various logpiles and hides I've built in my garden?

Cheers,
Kait

badgerwatcher · #2 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 01:11 PM

Hi Kait.
I think, although I'm no expert (on anything), that it may take frogs and toads a year or two before they move in for breeding purposes, as they tend to go back to the pond where they were spawned to breed. I don't know what makes them make that final move. Maybe they need to make sure everything is ok for a year before they book the removal van. Good luck with the ponds.

Tornado · #3 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 01:22 PM

Cheer up Kait

there's plenty of time for your pond to catch up. Our pond only started to come to life so to speak last sunday, with our first sighting of "a" frog. Now there are around 15 or so and they treat us to their antics and chorus every evening on camera!!

Your frogs and other wildlife will arrive when they feel the time is right.
Tornado

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 05:37 PM

Kait, given your southern location I would have at least expected you would have seen some frogs by now.

It's often said that frogs return to their natal ponds- but that can't be true for them all, otherwise new ponds wouldn't be so readily colonised. The first spring after I created my pond I just had a couple of spawn clumps, in following years I had large numbers which couldn't have been born in my pond.

Apparently frogs are attracted to smell of glycolic acid (if memory serves me well!) in the pond which is produced by algae. Don't be too disappointed if you don't get any visitors this spring, I'm sure you'll get colonised soon.

Kayleigh · #5 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 05:49 PM

After we built our pond the first spring we got newts eggs and Toad spawn but no frogs. Newts and Toads breed later than frogs in my garden anyway.
We have a half barrel with water plants in it, and for the second year we have frog spawn in the barrel. I dont know why the frogs dont spawn in the big pond. There is still time for your pond you may just get newts and toads

We get frogs in the pond they just don't breed in there.

kaitkaitkait · #6 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 07:25 PM

Ah, I possibly shouldn't have hoiked out all the blanketweed if they're driven to lust by the smell of algae!

Thanks for all your replies.

I shall resign myself to enticing froggy visitors by next spring. I don't suppose you can get decoy frogs...

...that just made me think: My kids bought me a stone frog and a stone toad and they're both rather larger than our native amphibs... do you suppose the sight of two ginormous specimens might be rather offputting to the real McCoys?

If that's the case I'll take them from the pondside (wasn't overly keen on them being there in the first place but aw, kids...) and put them somewhere away from the water!

wyevilla · #7 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 08:59 PM

Hi Kait

I wouldn't give up yet. As well as your geographical location, there are other factors such as altitude, shade and even things like whether you are in a local cold spot such as a valley.

Plenty of time yet.

If you are unlucky this year. Then spend some more time on habitat creation and keep your fingers crossed. Get to know the other inhabitants such as snails, insects and crustaceans. There is a world of interest out there. (If you are really lucky, I'll tell you about the 4-eyed flatwom I found last year in my pond!

)

Kayleigh · #8 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 09:02 PM

Don't tell me there are flatworm things in ponds

We have little black leeches in ours

kaitkaitkait · #9 (**permalink**) 25-02-2007, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyevilla

Hi Kait

I wouldn't give up yet. As well as your geographical location, there are other factors such as altitude, shade and even things like whether you are in a local cold spot such as a valley.

Plenty of time yet.

If you are unlucky this year. Then spend some more time on habitat creation and keep your fingers crossed. Get to know the other inhabitants such as snails, insects and crustaceans. There is a world of interest out there. (If you are really lucky, I'll tell you about the 4-eyed flatwom I found last year in my pond!

)

Ohh I love the minibeasts! My young daughters and I regularly pond dip and marvel at the hoglice and water fleas (daphnia?) and we've found one or two dragonfly nymphs in the smaller (older by a few months) pond.

And I'd love to hear about the 4-eyed flatworm... Honest!

We are in a valley though...and it has been quite a lot colder in here than it has at the sunny end. Might account for the lateness. I shan't give up hope, Wyevilla!!

wyevilla · #10 (**permalink**) 25-02-2007, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaitkaitkait

And I'd love to hear about the 4-eyed flatworm... Honest!

Well... last summer I decided to identify as many of the invertebrates in the pond as I could (good excuse for a pond dip!). I found and identified 2 species of flatworm. One of them has a brilliant name (Dugesia lugubris) which means lugubrious - because of the melancholy expression due to its 2 very large, sad eyes. Think Marvin from Hitch Hiker's Guide.

Anyway having collected a few specimens, I noticed that 1 had an extra pair of these doleful eyes. I could not find any description of a native 4-eyed flatworm so I suppose its just a "fluke" of nature. Boom, boom!!!!!!