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Encouraging frogs

ollie-evzollie-evz Posts: 1
in Wildlife gardening
could anybody tell tell me why frogs have stopped coming to my garden ponds.  I haven’t seen a frog or had any frogspawn for the past 3/4 years. Previous to that I used to have an army of them in the pond mating.  I would mention that I have a lot of newts in the ponds and I wondered  if that is anything to do with the lack of frogs.
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  • RubytooRubytoo On the sofa, Southerly aspect.Posts: 1,185
    I think that you have possibly answered your own question.
    Someone posted about all their frogs the other day, with photos.
    I was interested and went off to read about frogspawn, and came across a nugget of info that said if you have newts there would be lack of frogs.  I think it was that Newts eat frog spawn?

    Sorry I didn't pay attention. I think it also worked out the other way around too for some other reason.
    just replying until someone else comes along and Welcome.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,682
    We are in the same situation as you Ollie.  We had hundreds of tadpoles 3 or 4 years ago, and I was delighted.  Then our neighbours got a cat who liked nothing more than "pretending" to be asleep at the side of the pond - the frogs disappeared so I blamed the cat.  About the same time we were given half a dozen newts - but I still blamed the cat for the frogs demise until someone suggested that the newts could have devoured all the tadpoles.  Now I have read your post I do believe the poor cat wasn't the culprit after all! No wonder the newts bred so well - they must have thought they had come to the best restaurant!
  • NickG61NickG61 Posts: 20
    Ponds  tend to be either good for newts or frogs. After 3 years of newts in my pond, I’ve finally seen frog spawn this year.  Maybe you’ll have newts for a while but the frogs should return.
  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 16,494
    I’ve got both in mine, I can’t see why that would stop them spawning, they may get eaten when they hatch but that’s a different thing.  
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 6,040
    I'm so glad I read this thread.
    My w/l pond is just starting year 3 and I was frustrated that I've never seen a frog or toad anywhere near it.
    I've got a log pile in the shade of an apple tree a few feet away and 2 rock piles going into the water.
    Almost right from day 1 newts have been in the pond, lots of them - maybe the frogs are aware and give it a miss.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,057
    Lyn said:
    I’ve got both in mine, I can’t see why that would stop them spawning, they may get eaten when they hatch but that’s a different thing.  
    We had both and they seemed to rub along together OK. Mind you we had masses of spawn so maybe it was getting eaten to some degree and we never noticed.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,682
    Some reassurance here, thanks for giving hope, I love frog and newts and would like to think that the two can rub along together.  Certainly no frog spawn here this year and I haven't seen a frog this year either, although we had a few oldies last year from before newt introduction.
  • micearguersmicearguers CambridgePosts: 416
    After some visits from a grass snake in our pond last year the pond seemed be shunned all autumn and winter, but both frogs and newts have arrived now. We've had both species for a few years now. Our pond has good sections of shelf 2 and shelf 3 depth, I wonder if that has any impact. We have a cat as well. Luckily no heron has ventured near yet.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,682
    No grass snakes here micearguers although we have tried to encourage them.  A heron has visited most years and on one occasion I saw him fly off with a poor large frog dangling from the heron's beak - distressing!
    However I am pleased to say I have seen a large frog in the pond today - mature so I think it will be pre cat days i.e. 4 or more years old.  It wasn't croaking so I am wondering if it is a female - do only the males make the croaking noise?
  • micearguersmicearguers CambridgePosts: 416
    We were thriiled when we spotted the snake Guernsey Donkey2 (is there a Donkey1 around as well?), but I think it ate a lot of frogs! Reclusive animals, it was a lucky visit for a few days, but we will certainly keep our eyes peeled this year again. I think it is indeed the male frogs that croak. We have about four males now and one female, but haven't heard any croaking yet. One male clamps the female all day round -- when I disturbed her in the garden it was on top, and she hopped into the pond with the male holding on. Hope you get a bigger frog party! No spawn yet here, curious when it will arrive.
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