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Post by auricula on May 16, 2007 14:03:05 GMT 1
HiI have a 3year old wildlife pond but I cannot attract frogs etc.
I have loads of water snails,boatmen, damselflies etc but no frogs, toads or newts - much to the relief of the millions of slugs in the garden!!
I made the pond as per the usual instructions for siting,planting , slopes,shelves,neighbouring logplies etc but would dearly love some amphibians.
I even dot some spawn from next doors pond and did get a few tadpoles but then they just seemed to disappear!
Please help !!
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Post by Sleepy on May 16, 2007 14:12:52 GMT 1
HiI have a 3year old wildlife pond but I cannot attract frogs etc. I have loads of water snails,boatmen, damselflies etc but no frogs, toads or newts - much to the relief of the millions of slugs in the garden!! I made the pond as per the usual instructions for siting,planting , slopes,shelves,neighbouring logplies etc but would dearly love some amphibians. I even dot some spawn from next doors pond and did get a few tadpoles but then they just seemed to disappear! Please help !! Not many tadpoles do survive to become frogs - just 1 or 2 percent. So if you only had a few it's no wonder that none made it. You really need a big dollop of frogspawn. But you won't get any until next February now. And newts are moving out of the ponds this time of year too I'm afraid. Ask again in January  |
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Post by madonplants on May 16, 2007 14:34:19 GMT 1
Have you a picture of it, so maybe could help further? It can take upto three years for frogs to feel safe in a pond, Charlie Dimmocks words, not mine, so maybe your time is just around the corner! Do you have frogs etc in the area? Can they get in and out of the pond away from any predators? What oxygenating plant do you have? Newts like Water Starwort and frogs like Water Hornwort. When you top it up, do you use rainwater as amphibians don't like chlorine. If you use tap water use a dechlorinator, first. Just as Sleepy says normally 4 frogs survive to adulthood, out of every 1000 eggs laid, due to various things. That is why they lay so much!!  Hope some of this helps. Keith |
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Post by sweetleaf on May 16, 2007 14:50:28 GMT 1
I havent got any frogs or newts either and I have gone to some lengths to attract them, Im also crossing my fingers for next year, so you arent alone, Auricula.  In my case I think (hope)its because there is a very good established pond in a garden a couple of doors down, and the party orgy was better attended there |
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Post by madonplants on May 16, 2007 15:39:58 GMT 1
I havent got any frogs or newts either and I have gone to some lengths to attract them, Im also crossing my fingers for next year, so you arent alone, Auricula. In my case I think (hope)its because there is a very good established pond in a garden a couple of doors down, and the party orgy was better attended there Lost this thread for a bit, why has it been moved? Don't forget though SL, there will be new frogs born this and last year that will be looking for new ponds to colonise!! Keith |
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Post by Sleepy on May 16, 2007 15:41:03 GMT 1
I havent got any frogs or newts either and I have gone to some lengths to attract them, Im also crossing my fingers for next year, so you arent alone, Auricula. In my case I think (hope)its because there is a very good established pond in a garden a couple of doors down, and the party orgy was better attended there Lost this thread for a bit, why has it been moved? Don't forget though SL, there will be new frogs born this and last year that will be looking for new ponds to colonise!! Keith Just a slight reorganisation Keith. |
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Post by madonplants on May 16, 2007 15:44:34 GMT 1
So back to how it was before, then!! Keith |
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Post by mickthecactus on May 16, 2007 15:55:18 GMT 1
I have lost some frogs to grass snakes. Have you seen any Auricula?
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Post by sweetleaf on May 16, 2007 16:06:24 GMT 1
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Post by Sleepy on May 16, 2007 16:17:44 GMT 1
Water boatmen Diving beetles Dragonfly larvae Other frogs Newts Birds It's a dogs life being a tadpole! |
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Post by Sleepy on May 16, 2007 16:18:28 GMT 1
So back to how it was before, then!! Keith Probably. I have a very short memory ;D |
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Post by madonplants on May 16, 2007 16:31:58 GMT 1
Water boatmen Diving beetles Dragonfly larvae Other frogs Newts Birds It's a dogs life being a tadpole! Don't forget cats, Sleepy!! Auricula, do you or your neighbours use chemicals like 'normal' slug pellets, as this could be a reason for the shortage of frogs. Dead slugs being killed by pellets can kill frogs. Also do you know of any frogs in your neighbourhood affected by this virus that frogs have been catching? Maybe you have them, but just not spotted them yet. Like I said, a photo would help pinpoint any 'failings' you have or improvements you could make to help!  Keith |
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Post by auricula on May 16, 2007 16:33:49 GMT 1
Thanks everybody - I'll persevere and post more later if I have anything to report |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 16, 2007 16:43:41 GMT 1
Hello Auricula, Lovely to see you here. Sorry if anyone's asked this but have you got lots of grass etc around your pond and is there anywhere for the taddies to go once they've hatched? Where do your neighbours frogs go, do you know? Are there many ponds near you with frogs in I wonder - they may be bypassing yours for more familiar routes. I think Sleepy's right - you should try and get MUCH more spawn next year.
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Post by madonplants on May 16, 2007 16:50:03 GMT 1
Have you got other life in there, like dragonfly larva, water boatmen etc? Maybe I have been lucky, but I have never brought spawn to any of the wildlife ponds I have made! What plants do you have in the pond, Auricula? What plants do you have around the outside of the pond? Sorry maybe should have made that one sentence!!  Don't forget tadpoles eat tadpoles as well! Keith |
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Post by auricula on May 21, 2007 14:57:02 GMT 1
Grass and a logpile around the pond. Oxygenators,iris' floaty things covering about 2/3 pond.Have plenty of snails,boatmen,damsel/dragonflies. Pond water is very clear.There is a slope for froggy access but no takers yet  |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 21, 2007 16:50:58 GMT 1
Oh it must be so frustrating. You're doing everything right! I think it must be one of those occasions when the more you want something, the less likely you are to get it. If you could just wander about the garden looking as if the last thing you want to see is a frog, maybe they'll pop up everywhere........!
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Post by maggyd on May 21, 2007 17:00:08 GMT 1
Talking about tadpoles reminded me of a few years ago in our last house !we had a pond which our eldest son had bought some lovely koi, our youngest son brought a bucket full of tadpoles that he had got from a friend !and tipped them in the pond WELL the fish thought their birthdays had come Ive never seen anything vanish so quickly  I shouldnt laugh but they were gone in seconds not one survived. . but I do see frogs or toads in our garden on a night when its wet but I dont think they go in my small water barrel. |
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Post by madonplants on May 21, 2007 18:42:49 GMT 1
I am wondering whether Mick's suggestion could be key, grass snakes. They like long grass as well as frogs! What is your neighbourhood like? Do you back onto waste ground or anything? Have you seen any at all or if not I think it could be just bad luck, as like 4P says, you are doing everything right.
Keith.
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Post by auricula on May 21, 2007 23:00:34 GMT 1
We do back onto a field,but our neighbour has lots of frogs. Still, thanks for the reassurance that I am not doing anything wrong - I'll just hang on in there and hope for the best!! |
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Post by seanmckinney on May 21, 2007 23:02:53 GMT 1
What are the surroundings of the pond like, a photo would be a good idea. There have always been frogs here but since I put the ponds in their numbers have markedly increased. I would guess there area of spawn layed has doubled each year over the last 3 spawning seasons. For spawning they seem to favour a pond that gets the early sun with shallow margins but they like an easily accessable deep bit for cover. For general habitation during the summer etc they seem to favour a pond with loads of vegitation in it. Again I suppose thats anti heron cover
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Post by madonplants on May 21, 2007 23:50:48 GMT 1
What oxygenators do you have? Newts (especially Great Crested) seem to prefer Water Starwort and frogs prefer Hornwort, which is what I use. Like Sean has said and already mentioned (I think) could we have a photo if possible? Do you have a digital camera? This may shed some light on any 'problems' you may or may not have! Still can't believe your neighbours get them and you don't! Can the frogs get through to you? Questions questions I know, but we WILL get to the bottom of this!! Keith |
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Post by mickthecactus on Aug 13, 2007 16:55:23 GMT 1
My 2 big frogs disappeared a couple of months ago and I haven't seen them since.
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Post by sweetleaf on Aug 13, 2007 17:05:15 GMT 1
My 2 big frogs disappeared a couple of months ago and I haven't seen them since. I cant see mine any more but I do occasionally hear them they arent gone, they are somewhere in the undergrowth, (or they`ve gone next door to the bomb peck)  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Aug 13, 2007 21:30:50 GMT 1
I am still finding toads about but they're much bigger now obviously. I have an adult toad in the GH who comes out and enjoys the spray on hot days. His name is Percy. And I have one which lives in the PT - he's really quite a bit bigger, older and toadier though, nothing like as friendly. I much prefer them to the rats...
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