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Disappearing tadpoles

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  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    Also :  Giant water bugs prey on a surprising variety of aquatic life, including tadpoles, small fishes, insects, and other arthropods. Some are known to kill prey many times their own size.
    I have a lot of water bugs...ewwww when I open the door at night time...I'm so sad my tadpoles are gone...now I will be killing the bugs...I'm mad.



    What are water bugs? 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2023
    Lyn said:

    Also :  Giant water bugs prey on a surprising variety of aquatic life, including tadpoles, small fishes, insects, and other arthropods. Some are known to kill prey many times their own size.
    I have a lot of water bugs...ewwww when I open the door at night time...I'm so sad my tadpoles are gone...now I will be killing the bugs...I'm mad.



    What are water bugs? 

    And why on Earth would you be killing them?  It’s like killing anteaters because they eat ants … bonkers!  That’s how nature works … 
    I’m also not sure how the tadpoles were meant to survive and metamorphose in a kiddies’  paddling pool … we’re there plenty of plants, algae and small invertebrates for them to eat?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Seems a bit weird to have so many tadpoles as Autumn approaches though they can overwinter if the growing conditions haven't been good.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Dodgy looking post altogether  :)
    Tads are easy prey for all sorts of creatures. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Oh, that's so interesting! Tadpoles are such fascinating little guys. I've heard that they can be quite adventurous and move around a lot as they grow. It's possible they might have dispersed to deeper parts of the pond or maybe even found some new hiding spots. Nature can be so unpredictable sometimes.

    I've read that tadpoles can be sensitive to changes in water quality or temperature, but since you netted the area to protect them, it seems like you were taking good care of them. Maybe they're just exploring their larger pond world now. Keep an eye out, they might pop up somewhere unexpected! 🐸

  • In a kiddies pool, with no food, they would turn cannibal and eat each other until big enough to leave the pool.sorry .
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