All Amphibians are having a very difficult time at the mo. Spring 2022 was very cold, the summer was very long hot and very very dry. Many amphibians perished last year.
This spring has been cool and with so few remaining amphibians remaining after last year's difficult weather they are struggling.
Seeing so many comments from garden pond enthusiasts, I note a great many are fortunate to have livestock in their ponds. I am thinking, frog spawn, and even newts. I am curious to know if it is too late for frog spawn. Spring has indeed been rather cold, so maybe that is the reason, but my question is, when is it too late. I am beginning to think I may lose out this year. Jolly disappointing I am finding!
Do not give up. Small ponds can be badly affected by weather conditions so we just have to go with the flow and let nature take its course. Frogs, newts and toads only go into water to breed so make sure you have plenty of rocks and logs etc around the garden for them to crawl under. They will be there even if in smaller numbers. My pond is only 6ft in diameter but 4ft deep in the centre with a shelf to stand plants on. Last year was the first time I had a deep clean in 15 years because the pond weed was so rampant. If on a warm sunny day you put a chair near the pond and sit with a cup of tea or coffee and while away at least an hour or two I think you will be surprised at how much activity there is going on in yours. Flying insects visiting etc. Aquatic tiny insects and maybe even a pair of froggy eyes gazing back at you! I know I have newts but have only actually seen one in the water twice, watch for tiny bubbles surfacing, that will be a newt, frog or toad. I only ever see toads out of the water under rocks, planks of wood or flower pots. I usually have a visit from a massive dragonfly once or twice during the summer but it never stays for long, lots of mayflies, some of which lay their eggs on the fronds of the reed where it hangs over the water. Spare some time, keep watching, it is all going on very quietly.
It's how wildlife ponds are @sutton.langley . Some years you'll have spawn and some you won't. Much of it gets eaten which is why so much of it is laid to start with. The little froglets get eaten on a regular basis too, so very few make it to adulthood. Frogs don't live in ponds most of the time anyway, which is why you need lots of other suitable sites for them. They might move to another one, or may have died or been predated by other creatures. The little one I had here for quite a while disappeared - possibly to look for a mate, or got run over/eaten etc. This garden isn't as suitable a site as others I've had, so I know that makes it more difficult.
That's how nature is. We can't always mould it to suit what we want. All you can do is make the site as suitable as you can for frogs and then wait and see what happens
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
All Amphibians are having a very difficult time at the mo. Spring 2022 was very cold, the summer was very long hot and very very dry. Many amphibians perished last year.
This spring has been cool and with so few remaining amphibians remaining after last year's difficult weather they are struggling.
Some years we have had loads of frogs and the occasional toad. This year very few. I can't think of anything that i should be doing to encourage wildlife but if anyone has any suggestions please advise. Part of our wildlife garden (drone view):
Ground view (taken from bottom left of above picture)
There is another pond behind the seated area. All the ponds about two feet deep in places.
At about 750 feet on the western edge of The Pennines. Clay soil.
@InTheMoorlands - if, as your pics suggest, you are providing planting, hidey holes , a food source for birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects, you can only wait and see what takes advantage of your site. If you have a local wildlife trust or similar, it's always worth having a word with them to see if you can do anything more to help with species in your location. Meanwhile, keep up the good work
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Small ponds can be badly affected by weather conditions so we just have to go with the flow and let nature take its course.
Frogs, newts and toads only go into water to breed so make sure you have plenty of rocks and logs etc around the garden for them to crawl under. They will be there even if in smaller numbers.
My pond is only 6ft in diameter but 4ft deep in the centre with a shelf to stand plants on. Last year was the first time I had a deep clean in 15 years because the pond weed was so rampant. If on a warm sunny day you put a chair near the pond and sit with a cup of tea or coffee and while away at least an hour or two I think you will be surprised at how much activity there is going on in yours. Flying insects visiting etc. Aquatic tiny insects and maybe even a pair of froggy eyes gazing back at you! I know I have newts but have only actually seen one in the water twice, watch for tiny bubbles surfacing, that will be a newt, frog or toad. I only ever see toads out of the water under rocks, planks of wood or flower pots. I usually have a visit from a massive dragonfly once or twice during the summer but it never stays for long, lots of mayflies, some of which lay their eggs on the fronds of the reed where it hangs over the water.
Spare some time, keep watching, it is all going on very quietly.
Frogs don't live in ponds most of the time anyway, which is why you need lots of other suitable sites for them. They might move to another one, or may have died or been predated by other creatures. The little one I had here for quite a while disappeared - possibly to look for a mate, or got run over/eaten etc. This garden isn't as suitable a site as others I've had, so I know that makes it more difficult.
That's how nature is. We can't always mould it to suit what we want. All you can do is make the site as suitable as you can for frogs and then wait and see what happens
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If you have a local wildlife trust or similar, it's always worth having a word with them to see if you can do anything more to help with species in your location.
Meanwhile, keep up the good work