Frogspawn 2013

Hi, thought it might be interesting to see the spread of frogspawn across the country in our ponds. Here in Greater London/Essex it arrived today - 9 clumps so far. I wonder how much of it will survive given the forecast for the weekend and into next week!

Anyone else with any frogspawn yet?

East Dorset, mine was first spotted last weekend. It's a very sheltered pond and always has early spawn - this is later than usual. As the pond is quite small I can lay wire netting across and cover with an old sheet to keep the frost off.

Hi , On my allotment  i have a very small pond  it holds about 5 gallons of water, in the next field there is a real pond with frogs spawn in it , what I would like to do is to get some of the spawn and put in to mine ,the idea being for the tadpoles to become frogs and so eat any snails and slugs on my plot , is it a worthwhile project or should i leave enough alone ,the pond tends to dry out in summer .

Derek

Here in mid Wales we have no frog spawn in our pond at all yet, last year it came in February so seems a bit late. Maybe the frogs are waiting for better weather!

Derek, amphibians like frogs only need water to spawn in - and some hibernate at the bottom of a pond if it's deep enough. If your 5 gal. pond will last until early summer - June/July - that should be enough time for the froglets to emerge. I'd say it's worth a try if you want to give it a go. However, once out they will wander off wherever they like and when big enough, may find prey on anyone's plot. It would be surprising if you don't already have frogs on the allotment that wander in from the pond in the next field. They need cool damp places to hide in. Unlikely that they'll be able to eat enough to rid you of your slugs and snails, though

clogherhead; you need to check on a wild life site; am not sure you are allowed to move frog's spawn

Good idea, artjak. I think it's OK if the landowner gives permission. I used to take a little batch to school from my pond for the Reception class teachers.

Hi Flobear, artjak ,thanks it's just an idea I will contact my local wildlife service

Derek

Derek, if there are frogs spawning in the pond in the field next door then I'm sure you already have plenty of frogs on the allotments - they spend most of their year in long damp undergrown and travel quite a way back to their spawning ponds.  They're mainly nocturnal - I bet if you're on your allotment at sunrise in midsummer you'll see plenty - the allotment is probably also on the regular round of your local heron who will know exactly where to find frogs first thing in the morning 

If your pond dries out in the summer then it's unlikely to have the necessary plantlife and little invertebrates that  provide tadpoles with the right food to reach adulthood.  Also, if conditions are not right some tadpoles remain as tadpoles and do not metamorphose until the following year, so if the pond dried they would perish   

My frogs returned on March 8 - nearly a fortnight late compared with previous years, but the frogspawn was there by the morning of the 9th so they certainly got busy! Sadly pond frozen over and covered with snow now - presumably they can survive for a while.  I'm sure this has happened before.  Can't wait for a balmy mild day to hear them all singing!

We are on The Wirral and have had a pond since 2000. We have kept a note on the calendar on the day each year the frog spawn arrived. This year is the second latest. The latest being 2010 when it arrived on March 15th. The eariest was 2011 on Feb 24th. It is now under a layer of ice so fingers crossed it survives.

My pond is full of frogspawn..i love hearing the frogs chorus in the evening and early morning..yesterday the pond was frozen over i broke the ice on the pond but worry ive lost the frog spawn

Frog spawn arrived in my pond in Cornwall last week. The first to be laid in it since I put the pond in 3 years ago.

The recent freezing conditions will probably destroy most of  it but I am sure more will laid when the weather warms up again and entices the frogs to be "at it".

We will have to keep our fingers crossed..and i believe the toads spawn later so there is still that to wait for ..i bet you were over the moon to see the spawn in your pond Joyce after waiting 3 years ..i had newts for the 1st time last year, my pond has been in 3 years now, but i had a little one for 10 years before that..so ive had frogs and toads from the start..good luck with your spawn and hope that spring starts again soon..

Tenby South Walesallotment ,a new pond last August but no frog spawn yet but can here the frogs calling in the fields around and on the allotments ,pond edge  is very shallow one end down to 4feet but 1 inch thick ice on top ,need some sun!!!

Alan

It's always exciting hearing the frog's, spring is there somewhere..hope you get the sun soon Alen and those frogs get to use the pond this year..

Still cold and snowy out there so no opportunity to check, but the word is that frogs and toads can survive pefectly adequately through cold springs - they've been around for a few million years after all.  I would imagine that most of the frozen frogspawn will come through ok too, although when it warms up (when?!) the frogs may well be encouraged to have another go. Interesting Mrs S that the latest year for your frog arrival was 2010 - same here.  Lot of similarities between that winter and this!

Along with my frogspawn has come a heron! I know it is nature but the way he is wolfing down the frogs is unbelievable. I have chased him a few times as I hate to see my thriving pond emptied but he has to eat too....