On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 23:30:18 +0100, "Doug."
wrote:


"Sally Thompson" wrote in message
...
Well, I don't know how else to describe it! This is definitely not
blanket weed (which I do recognise), but we have something like green
tapioca in one of our smaller ponds. If I scoop it up in the net, it
is surprisingly heavy and it is very jelly like and slithery. It/they
seem to have a few bubbles round them, as well. Does anyone know what
it is? I have tried a search, but it's like a needle in a haystack.

I did wonder if it (they) were some kind of eggs attracting algae -
could it be snail's eggs, for instance? It's a bit late in the season
for some things. If they are eggs, I'll rush out and rescue them
from the bucket. Otherwise I'll chuck it on the compost.

Sounds like it's some kind of spawn but it cannot be frog or toad
pawn, - that's all I can
say, - they come along in Spring. Can you not rescue a lump of them
and hatch them out in the pond in isolation, perhaps in a big glass
flower vase with the pond water just below the rim and keep pouring in
fresh pond water now and then to freshen it up.
(Perhaps though, you may not want to bother).

Thanks for the reply Doug - sorry for late response, have been out all
day at the Tenbury Agricultural Show. I do recognise frog and toad
spawn, and these are definitely not (apart from the time of year, as
you say). The idea of isolating some in the pond is quite a good one,
although there are masses there. We do want to bother if they are
animal rather than vegetable - our pond is intended to be a wildlife
one, and is geared to try to attract wildlife. I had wondered about
snails, although we have found snails eggs attached to weed at the
edge of the pond, and these are floating on the surface.

Any road up, - My frog and toad spawn did not arrive this year.. The
pond is a stagnant one but is a live entity with aerating plants and one
big waterlily, and even has a few small leeches in it, I therefore keep
my hands out of the pond so that they will still remain small. I know
all about leeches , - big 'uns.(Jungle... - say no more!, I don't want
to swing the old lantern!.)
Keep us posted, please, if you find any more gen on this.

We had masses of frog spawn, and there must have been toad spawn
somewhere since we've found quite a few toads. We have certainly
spotted a fair number of little frogs and baby newts hiding in the
edges of the pond, and there are probably a number we haven't found -
there are quite a few hiding places for them. We also thought we saw
some tiny leeches in one of the ponds earlier in the year. I got my
hands out pretty sharpish as well!

If it's sunny tomorrow (phew! today!) I'll take a photo and post it on
our web site to see if anyone can identify it.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
bed and breakfast near Ludlow: http://www.stonybrook-ludlow.co.uk
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