"Pickle" wrote in message
...

Survival rate to maturity is very low - maybe 1%, but that's a
blessing, otherwise we would be chin deep in frogs.


The water boatmen in my pond have been depleting the tadpoles too. I saw
3
water boatmen simultaneously attack and drag down a little froglet that
had
just jumped back into the water after being disturbed



When my son went to Primary school, I used to lend them frog spawn so they
could watch it turn into tadpoles and develop legs.

When they were returned, at the end of term, I put them back in the pond.

I was horrified to see Dragonfly larvae shoot out what like arms with boxing
gloves on, and rip these tadpoles to pieces.

It must be a very small percentage reach maturity. After about 15 years we
had about 15 pairs + some hopeful young males.

They are starting to build up numbers after a heron visited the pond, a few
years ago. We now have about 10 pairs.

--
Regards,
Alan.

Preserve wildlife - Pickle a SQUIRREL to reply.