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Frogs and things

CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
in Wildlife gardening
It's been a warm day and the ladybirds have started to emerge in some numbers. I spotted a hummingbird hawkmoth on some viburnum bodnatense flowers this afternoon so this summer visitor has obviously been spending the winter in East Anglia.....saves getting the ferry I guess.
The nice weather prompted me to deal with the disgusting pond and I have been dredging up gunk and dead foliage as well as removing enough duck weed to stuff a duvet and I thought I had managed to do the job well in time, but shortly after I finished I heard the sound of an amorous frog that must have been very put out by the spring clean. He has a prospective mate heading his way......I nearly trod on her by the greenhouse and what a fabulous matronly figure she was.
It seems the sunshine and warmth has woken up the whole garden and there is a lot of work waiting to be done. Hopefully the tidied, wet bridal suite will suit the amphibians.
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  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    Your second paragraph had me laughing . 
    We don't have a pond, but the previous next door neighbours used to have a lovely one so we got their frogs here.
    Long gone sadly.
    But thanks for the laugh, :)
    Hope you get many froglets.

  • CatDouchCatDouch Posts: 488
    How lovely @Ceres I had a great mental picture of a matronly frog 😂 I was just listening to the frogs croaking away in our pond, such a lovely sound at night. So far, we’ve got one clump of frog spawn ☺️. This is one pair from a few days ago, I can’t see how matronly my female is as she’s well and truly in the males grasp 🥰


    South Devon 
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    What a wonderful photo. Looking back at my records for the past few years, the earliest we have had frogspawn has been the 6th March.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I have spawn in the pond. I noticed it on Monday 
    Devon.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited 15 February
    I have no matronly frogs for me, sadly, though lots of frogs are in the garden. They never spawn.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    @WonkyWomble said the frogs in her pond are busy too. 

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





  • ViewAheadViewAhead Posts: 866
    I have a frog question! 

    I have frogs.  I have just made one grumpy by thinning out some congested grasses.  I daren't ever use a fork to do this, just in case one is sheltering ... 😯

    I don't have a pond, but would like to cater for them in this regard.  What would be their minimum requirements in terms of size, depth, etc, so they could breed? Do they need plants growing in it, or would just water and pebbles be OK? 


  • Forester_PeteForester_Pete Posts: 175
    I have seen frog spawn in rutted tracks and puddles so in some respects any standing water they can get at will be used. But, and others will know the answer, I would guess some vegetation and other critters would be best for the tadpoles to survive?
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    All your frog requirments answered.
    On hot days frogs will seek out water in order to cool off and I had one that took up residence in a watering can from which I had to evict the frog on a daily basis. He/she was fine because it was easy to get out of the can when it was full. However, another frog drowned when taking shelter in the watering can as the water level was low and there was no way to escape. Another boiled in the greenhouse but that is another story.....that was definitely a Darwin Award scenario as what amphibian would try to cool off in the hottest place in the garden. Anyhow, the point I ought to have made some words ago is, always make sure that whatever pond/pondette you have for your frogs, you provide an easy escape route for the creatures. They also appreciate some cover around the edge of the pond so that they aren't subject to blazing hot sunshine or predators. This is especially important for the froglets that emerge in summer as they cannot traverse hot stones and pavers. They can climb so overhanging plants like creeping thyme are useful. It isn't necessary to have a pristine pond because you won't attract a variety of wildlife if there is nothing to eat. Pond plants are a must and Puddle Plants has a good selection.

  • ViewAheadViewAhead Posts: 866
    Thank you for the info. 👍  I could definitely provide ground cover around.  I have a million carex grasses, which is their preferred resting place in my garden.  

    My frogs definitely seem happy enough.  They hang around and I see them often.  They have the bird bath for cooling off, but nowhere to spawn.  
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