Subterranean frog
 

This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a tree in
some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was sleeping apparently
in the middle of a lump of quite solid heavyish clay,
I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven years
and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen three frogs.
Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible environment for them are
beginning to succeed.
Janet G

"Janet Galpin" wrote in message
...
This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a tree in
some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was sleeping apparently
in the middle of a lump of quite solid heavyish clay,
I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven years
and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen three frogs.
Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible environment for them are
beginning to succeed.
Janet G

Good job your spade wasn't three inches further over :~(
Jenny

"Janet Galpin" wrote ...
This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a tree in
some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was sleeping apparently
in the middle of a lump of quite solid heavyish clay,
I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven years
and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen three frogs.
Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible environment for them are
beginning to succeed.

Did you know they used to believe that Swallows hibernated under mud just
like your frog, often wondered how that idea came about.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Janet Galpin" wrote ...
This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a tree in
some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was sleeping apparently
in the middle of a lump of quite solid heavyish clay,
I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven years
and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen three frogs.
Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible environment for them are
beginning to succeed.

Did you know they used to believe that Swallows hibernated under mud just
like your frog, often wondered how that idea came about.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

The biologist~ Gilbert White several times recorded Swallows hibernating
in ponds and this was believed to be true for many years. It is most likly
that the Frog is a Toad.
Regards Brian

"Bob Hobden" writes:

Did you know they used to believe that Swallows hibernated under mud just
like your frog, often wondered how that idea came about.

Partly because the first sign of them in the spring would be seeing
them start to collect mud to build their nests.

Anthony

Janet Galpin wrote:
:: This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a
:: tree in some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was
:: sleeping apparently in the middle of a lump of quite solid
:: heavyish clay,
:: I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
:: surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven
:: years and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen
:: three frogs. Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible
:: environment for them are beginning to succeed.
:: Janet G

We regularly get them wintering under bags of compost etc...i suppose they
are susceptible to frost like other creatures...

--
http://www.blueyonder256k.myby.co.uk/

The message
from contains these words:

On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 17:24:19 GMT, Janet Galpin
wrote:

This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a tree in
some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was sleeping apparently
in the middle of a lump of quite solid heavyish clay,
I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven years
and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen three frogs.
Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible environment for them are
beginning to succeed.

Did you try kissing it?
--

No. I didn't want to rush things. I talked soothingly, but it seemed
quite unimpressed by my sweet-talk.

Janet G

The message
from "Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond contains these words:


"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Janet Galpin" wrote ...
This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a tree in
some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was sleeping apparently
in the middle of a lump of quite solid heavyish clay,
I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven years
and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen three frogs.
Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible environment for them are
beginning to succeed.

Did you know they used to believe that Swallows hibernated under mud just
like your frog, often wondered how that idea came about.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

The biologist~ Gilbert White several times recorded Swallows hibernating
in ponds and this was believed to be true for many years. It is most likly
that the Frog is a Toad.
Regards Brian


You might be right. I tend to think of toads as rounder and this one was
quite svelte, but perhaps it was a while since his last square meal. I
was so anxious to cover him up again that I didn't look too closely.

According to an internet site I just looked at, toads can hibernate in
old rodent tunnels whereas there is no mention of frogs being
underground.

Janet G

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 20:53:37 -0000, "Brian" ---
'flayb' to respond wrote:


"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Janet Galpin" wrote ...
This afternoon I was beginning to dig a hole in order to plant a tree
in
some rough grass. About four inches down, a frog was sleeping
apparently
in the middle of a lump of quite solid heavyish clay,
I hadn't realised frogs hibernate underground. It was particularly
surprising (and pleasing) because having lived here nearly seven
years
and in spite of having three ponds, I've only ever seen three frogs.
Perhaps my efforts to create an irresistible environment for them are
beginning to succeed.

Did you know they used to believe that Swallows hibernated under mud
just
like your frog, often wondered how that idea came about.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

The biologist~ Gilbert White several times recorded Swallows
hibernating
in ponds and this was believed to be true for many years.

Have you any idea why he did that, if it wasn't true?

It is most likly
that the Frog is a Toad.

and Janet lives in Toad Hall

panto
Oh yes she does!
--
Martin

Swallows flock together just before setting off south and roost often in
coastal marsh land in the reeds, but as it is nearly dark when they do so it
looks like they are landing on the ground and disappearing. Had they had
electric torches back then they would have spotted them on the grass and
reed stems :~)

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

In article ,
writes
On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 20:53:37 -0000, "Brian" ---
'flayb' to respond wrote:


"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

Did you know they used to believe that Swallows hibernated under mud just
like your frog, often wondered how that idea came about.


The biologist~ Gilbert White several times recorded Swallows hibernating
in ponds and this was believed to be true for many years.

Have you any idea why he did that, if it wasn't true?

Goose barnacles were so called, not because of a fanciful resemblance to
geese, but because they were thought to be young geese - I've seen a
book of the time describing this.

And Virgil describes how you may leave out a carcase of a large animal
from which will be generated a swarm of bees - definitely generating
rather than simply attracting.

When you don't know the true mechanism, a lot of alternatives look quite
plausible.

Not so long ago (within the last 30 years) they were finding out a lot
more about S American insects, and discovering that, in several cases,
what they had taken to be separate species were in fact male and female
of the same species.

Future generations will consider some of our understanding of the
natural world to be equally laughable, and wonder why on earth we
thought that way.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"