whats this

[phil2]

i seen this in my garden last october,it was huge about 4-5 inches.heres a pic,im sorry its so bad.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ogingarden.jpg

[yellowhammer]

Phil, that's a common frog Rana temporia.

[honeybee]

Is that a common frog? If it was big, a bullfrog? can't tell. Somebody i know had a bullfrog in her pond for a few years (not a good thing to have), raised it from a tadpole.

[phil2]

yes it was about 5 inches,4 inches.very fat as you can see.

[yellowhammer]

Deffo common frog I'm afraid. American Bullfrogs Lithobates catesbeianus are really big, up to 20cm snout-vent length (SVL). They also have an enormous tympanum, or ear drum, and are usually plain coloured green on the dorsum.

The other water frogs in this country (marsh-, pool- & edible frogs) have pronounced dorso-lateral folds along their back and are some shade of green although all 'green' frogs including the bullfrog can appear brown if they are cold or ill. They are also very difficult to approach, usually basking on the banks of waterways and disappearing with a loud 'Plop!' as you approach. All are very loud when they call with the bullfrog getting it's name from the racket it make - similar to the lowing of a bull, a noise that can be heard up to 3 miles away in good conditions. None of the water frogs are usually found in gardens.

As a rule of thumb, if it's in your garden, it's a common frog or common toad. The brown mottled colouration and dark mask just visible behind the eye are indicators of the common frog. This one is a female full of spawn, hence the enormous girth. If you'd like to Google some images of bullfrogs try under the old name of Rana catesbeiana and you'll have more luck. Hope this helps.

[phil2]

you say its got spawn,how this was october.doubt there breeding then.

[yellowhammer]

They can have spawn developing at that time of year, depending on temperature, weather conditions and the situation of the pond, amongst other things. Common frogs have been known to breed in October before now, and I had them mating in my ponds on Christmas day. Early winter breeding is almost annual in the West Country now. The other option is that it could be diseased but I still think its spawn just from the sheer size of it.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by yellowhammer

Deffo common frog I'm afraid. American Bullfrogs Lithobates catesbeianus are really big, up to 20cm snout-vent length (SVL). They also have an enormous tympanum, or ear drum, and are usually plain coloured green on the dorsum.

The other water frogs in this country (marsh-, pool- & edible frogs) have pronounced dorso-lateral folds along their back and are some shade of green although all 'green' frogs including the bullfrog can appear brown if they are cold or ill. They are also very difficult to approach, usually basking on the banks of waterways and disappearing with a loud 'Plop!' as you approach. All are very loud when they call with the bullfrog getting it's name from the racket it make - similar to the lowing of a bull, a noise that can be heard up to 3 miles away in good conditions. None of the water frogs are usually found in gardens.

Yep, that brings back memories of Abdul the bullbull, hearing the loud 'plop' in the pond, he lived 6-8 years I think.
There were reports a few yeras ago of frogs turning yellow, can't remember why. I did see one.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Yep, that brings back memories of Abdul the bullbull,

Totally off topic - they don't write songs like Abdul the Bulbul Emir any more! Where did you drag that one from ..... ?

[Paul mabbott]

Why 'afraid' - what's wrong with a common frog and surely it wouldn't be good to have a bullfrog Yes sounds like a common frog and they've got problems enough without American invaders .....

Originally Posted by yellowhammer

Deffo common frog I'm afraid. American Bullfrogs Lithobates catesbeianus are [i]