Pond life following the January freeze

[posie]

Hi Pogo , My pond is deep, but this morning I discovered that there is quite a large shallow area at the end of the pond that I previously couldn't get to. So I'm hoping it's suitable for frogs to spawn. 3 ducks came in to look for their breakfast, that's why I went out, a mallard duck and drake and the white duck that is always with them. The surface was frozen about 2-3mm ice.Other people in my area have had frogs spawn in the last 3 days, but as I cant get to all the perimeter of my pond, it is possible I have some amongst the vegetation on those areas but can't see it,(fingers crossed). you could extend your new pond a bit with a deep bit one end, that the wildlife could emigrate down into in winter.The Heron will call in in a minute, to try his luck, so it's a full time job running out clapping my hands. It is wonderful to see the ducks and heron, but this is one occasion when I can't resist 'interfering with Nature' by sending them on their way to protect the frogs and or spawn. Posie.....................PS, What area do you live?

[Malcolm Banks]

Another freeze last night and I am worried about the impact on my spawn. Come 11am and all change, ice all gone and many beasties going about their business. In particular I noticed a good number of caddisfly larvae moving about. Not all were attached to a surface, several appeared to be rowing themselves around by coming almost totally out of their cases then repeatedly arching over backwards and then thrusting rapidly forward through the water, thereby pushing the case and themselves backwards. I checked a site on caddisflies and was surprised to discover just how many UK species there are. There is a nice little intro to caddisflies on the amateur entomologists site at: http://www.amentsoc.org/insects/fact...-to-caddis.pdf
This was very interesting but I was unable to ID my CFs from this beginners guide to the Trichoptera.
So, lots going on despite the night freezes.
M

[Rashmika]

I've had no frog spawn at all so far... I've still got my fingers crossed that "Frogins" (as my daughter calls him/her) survived the Winter and will move back into the pond.

[Malcolm Banks]

Loads of Wabbers bemoaning the fact that they still don't have spawn, and people like me, who have spawn, wishing they didn't, well not at the moment anyway, since it is taking such a bashing from the weather - Now there's irony. Yet another freeze tonight (-3.2 now) and even more severe forecast for Sunday night.

Posie's idea of taking some spawn into a barn for a few days is sounding more attractive by the day - I've got the bucket, all I need is the barn??!!
M

[posie]

Originally Posted by Malcolm Banks

Loads of Wabbers bemoaning the fact that they still don't have spawn, and people like me, who have spawn, wishing they didn't, well not at the moment anyway, since it is taking such a bashing from the weather - Now there's irony. Yet another freeze tonight (-3.2 now) and even more severe forecast for Sunday night.

Posie's idea of taking some spawn into a barn for a few days is sounding more attractive by the day - I've got the bucket, all I need is the barn??!!
M

Garage, coal bunker ??..any way you could protect the container from frost would be worth a try. Kids take it indoors, and often get good results, but I daren't say that on here or I'll cause a riot. You could dig a hole for container and cover over top at night, come to that, depending on size of the pond, you could cover whole pond at night,(trampoline??) or you could weight the container with stones in bottom, put spawn in, net over top to stop spawn floating out, then lower container on rope into deepest part of pond. Shall I go on ????....Posie..

[Malcolm Banks]

No, I'll put it in the greenhouse, that has light and is frost free. Will have to be tomorrow though, was too busy with other garden jobs today and by the time I had finished temp was almost zero, and far too cold to start guddling spawn. But pond life goes on, even following or during the January, February and March freeze. Saw my first newt (Smooth) of the year in the pond today (tea break, honest), so all the players in the great pond drama are assembling by degrees (like minus 6 degrees tonight!)
M

[posie]

I couldn't see any life in my pond today, so, as it is a khaki murky colour, I was suspicious that it was unable to sustain 'life' , so I did a pond-dip and got 1 pond shrimp, 1 phantom....larva, 1 skater, and 1 damsel fly larva, which was encouraging. I also saw some skaters on the surface afterwards. There is so much dead 'vegetation' in the pond, I wonder if that's ok. I'm going to have an examination of the water done when I get time. Do you know if Mallard are strictly vegetarian, as I've been told they are, and if so will be no threat to any spawn I get.I must say little mallard ducklings are a joy to watch, so maybe I'll get that pleasure too....Posie...

[tom00_uk]

if your keen to interfere and not let nature take its course why not just erect a slight cover over the area of pond with the spawn to keep to ice off?

in the past i have had spawn in the ice and yes the top layer of eggs did not hatch but that was consumed by the lower layers of eggs when the hatched

[Malcolm Banks]

That's encouraging Tom00, I suspect repeated freeze thaw insults will have a cumulative effect, but maybe the upper layers are sacrificed and may not only provide some insulation for the ones below, but as you say, may provide further sustenance once the others have hatched. Last year's tadpoles spent about a week hoovering up the jelly around them before venturing out into the wide open (and dangerous) parts of the pond. If I get a 50% hatch I will be happy but it's tough for the little blighters, -5.3oC last night and heading down that way again tonight. Local forecasts indicate the next 5 nights will be above zero, so may not have to resort to a refugee camp in my greenhouse or sacrificing my North Face down jacket for the cause
M

[posie]

I hope the forecast is right, save a lot of trouble, and can see what T. is saying. I just thought if it was me I'd just evacuate a small amount, just in case the worst happened.....But then I haven't got any spawn to play with anyway !....Posie...