Terry Pinnell wrote:
Yesterday I was astonished to find a dozen or two frogs spawning in
our small pond. Hadn't even known we had any!

I'm apprehensive about the impact of these. In particular, what about
our 6 small goldfish - presumably they're sharing the natural food
supply? I removed half a bucket of spawn (awaiting delivery to a local
stream), but my attempts with a net have so far (groping around in the
oxygenating plants) resulted in the capture of only a single frog!

What else, if anything, should we do? What's the usual life style of
your typical frog anyway? After mating/spawning, do they settle down
to marital harmony in their existing habitat? Or hop off somewhere
else? If the latter, hopefully not our flower beds?

Yes you should be worried about the frogs if you have fish. Frogs are not
too bright when it comes to mating, and male frogs will mount anything they
find, including your goldfish. This can cause the fish to be damaged - even
'drown' as a result. I think the competition for food is probably less of an
issue.

On the other hand, I'd personally rather have the frogs than the fish, so it
never worried me too much!

The frogs do disperse after mating. They are more interested in food, and
staying alive for the rest of the year. This means eating the insects and
slugs in your (and neighbours) gardens.

John.