Thanks Daintiness, I hope the hard work does pay off too, we were still taking big tadpoles out of the old pond in January, not sure why they were still tadpoles or if they will survive. Will be getting new plants for the pond and have out slates in the pond to help the frogs. Also will put things near the pond so that the frogs can hide.
our old neighbour had a huge pond and the heron use to help himself to fish, my cat did once because the neighbour was sorting the pond out and stuck the fish in a bucket for a while and my cat thought it was easy lunch
Stagbeetle when there is a large amount of tadpoles in a pond, sometimes instead of outcompeting each other as froglets some will stay as tadpoles until the following spring and then will be the first biggest froglets. At my old house this used to happen every year. So I used to feed them up! We had a ridicolously huge number of frogs almost on a constant supply! Last year before we moved the pond was full of frogspawn.
Since the days of the internet it has come to light a lot that people have overwintering tadpoles and newt larva and some have things like adult newts in ponds all year round (me included ). Not much of this appears in books yet. It's fine to have overwintering tadpoles, they just have a good headstart the following year.
Gemma, isnt the overwintering tadpole thing a survival technique they use in colder countries? Im sure i saw Chris Packham do a film thingy about it, had no idea it happened here too
Got to say i did feel sorry for the frogs in the pond yesterday, they loomed quite bemused with snow falling on them!
It can be a survival technique in colder countries. I think at least in the southern parts of the UK there may be other factors. Pond conditions could be one, overcrowding, cool shaded ponds might slow development of some tadpoles, so they have to wait another year to finish developing.
Overcrowding tends to sort itself out over the years and there is no reason to intervene in anyway. If a pond is overly shaded, cutting back vegetation to let in more light may help.
There is evidence emerging though that it may be a deliberate tactic to give some tadpoles a head start the following year. So my feeling is in general it is a normal thing to see and nothing to worry about
Guys, had a lovely day in the garden, sat and watched the frogs for a while, i counded over 50, ive only got a little pond (about 4ft round and around a foot deep at the deepest bit) there is so much spawn, the pond is almost full, the frogs are just walking all over it as there isnt enough water left to swim in. Should i be worried, should i give some of the spawn away? Or should i just let them fight it out?
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Thanks Daintiness, I hope the hard work does pay off too, we were still taking big tadpoles out of the old pond in January, not sure why they were still tadpoles or if they will survive. Will be getting new plants for the pond and have out slates in the pond to help the frogs. Also will put things near the pond so that the frogs can hide.
our old neighbour had a huge pond and the heron use to help himself to fish, my cat did once because the neighbour was sorting the pond out and stuck the fish in a bucket for a while and my cat thought it was easy lunch
Stagbeetle when there is a large amount of tadpoles in a pond, sometimes instead of outcompeting each other as froglets some will stay as tadpoles until the following spring and then will be the first biggest froglets. At my old house this used to happen every year. So I used to feed them up! We had a ridicolously huge number of frogs almost on a constant supply! Last year before we moved the pond was full of frogspawn.
No sign of anything yet (Glos/Hereford border) - I know frogs were hibernating in the bottom of the pond (boys?) so no girls around yet.
Since the days of the internet it has come to light a lot that people have overwintering tadpoles and newt larva and some have things like adult newts in ponds all year round (me included
). Not much of this appears in books yet. It's fine to have overwintering tadpoles, they just have a good headstart the following year. 
newts are usually nocturnal if you go out at night with a torch
you might be lucky enough to see them
Got to say i did feel sorry for the frogs in the pond yesterday, they loomed quite bemused with snow falling on them!
Hi Bekkie,
It can be a survival technique in colder countries. I think at least in the southern parts of the UK there may be other factors. Pond conditions could be one, overcrowding, cool shaded ponds might slow development of some tadpoles, so they have to wait another year to finish developing.
Overcrowding tends to sort itself out over the years and there is no reason to intervene in anyway. If a pond is overly shaded, cutting back vegetation to let in more light may help.
There is evidence emerging though that it may be a deliberate tactic to give some tadpoles a head start the following year. So my feeling is in general it is a normal thing to see and nothing to worry about
hobbled down to pond, and yes, we have spawn in N Devon.
Good news Hostafan about the spawn - why are you hobbling?