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Plague of frogs
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? -- Terry, West Sussex, UK |
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... 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? Given that they eat slugs I would welcome them settling in my vegetable garden or flower beds. -- Chris Thomas West Cork Ireland |
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! I wouldn't bother chasing them off. They disappear back into the undergrowth again soon enough. And the goldfish will hoover up a fair proportion of the tiddlers if left to their own devices. They seem to let them grow for a while and then decide they make a tasty snack. At least that is what seemed to happen in our pond. Some froglets did emerge but as a proportion of the frogspawn it wasn't many! 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? They go back into the undergrowth and lurk. Regards, Martin Brown |
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... Yesterday I was astonished to find a dozen or two frogs spawning in our small pond. Hadn't even known we had any! They will travel a fair distance to breed, it may well be they will then go back to wherever they came from, presumably soemone elses garden. 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 have 25 or so fish sharing a pond with between 25-50 frogs without any problem. For most of the year only a few frogs to be seen in the pond, they are out in the garden eating stuff (where its unlikely they'll be competing with the goldfish for food :-) At this time of year, all the frogs will be in the pond, but thats for sex, not food, and the goldfish wont be eating much anyway. And the tadpoles, when they hatch, are initially vegetarians. Some people say that goldfish eat tadpoles (in which case your fish will be better off), though I have never actually seen one do that. It could be they are so sated that when I am watching, they are full and so dont need to eat, though they still eat the fish food. I removed half a bucket of spawn (awaiting delivery to a local stream), Oh dear you'll have the eco-nuts after you for that. But if its a freeflowing stream, it will die anyway, they need still water. but my attempts with a net have so far (groping around in the oxygenating plants) resulted in the capture of only a single frog! Jeez, they get one chance a year at sex and you've messed it up for this poor guy or gal. What else, if anything, should we do? Just leave them alone 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? Whats wrong with them in your flower beds? They'll eat a bunch of insects/pests, including maybe slugs (though I've never actually seen one do that) -- Terry, West Sussex, UK -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
"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? Terry, the only problem these frogs could cause are.. 1. They may have "Red Leg" which is also transmittable to fish. 2. A frustrated Male may mistake a fish for a female and hold it so tight (amplexus?) it drowns. Both just warrants observation by you, not action. Unless you see one or other in which case.. 1. You treat the pond with an "Ulcer" cure (the the benefit of both). 2. You net out the fish/frog and separate them (not as easy as it sounds!) Oh, and don't spread the spawn around for the reason 1. above. -- Regards Bob In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London |
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? You need to look up some information about frogs. They eat garden pests, lots of them. They will not impact on your goldfishes food. You can't put the frogspawn in a river or stream, it needs still water - find another pond and drop it in there. The pond will attract frogs every year, so whatever you do you'll have to get used to doing it. -- http://www.blueyonder256k.myby.co.uk/ |
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... 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? I've heard that, when faced with a plague of frogs, it is best to release the Israelites immediately, or worse could follow. |
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... 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? I've heard that, when faced with a plague of frogs, it is best to release the Israelites immediately, or worse could follow. |
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... 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? why are you removing spawn? Why do you want to remove frogs? They won't be doing any damage. |
"Duncan Heenan" wrote in message ... "Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... 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? I've heard that, when faced with a plague of frogs, it is best to release the Israelites immediately, or worse could follow. Plague 1 - Blood Plague 2 - Frogs Plague 3 - Gnat Plague 4 - Flies Plague 5 - Disease in Livestock Plague 6 - Boils Plague 7 - Hail Plague 8 - Locusts Plague 9 - Darkness Plague 10 - Death of Firstborn Jenny |
"w.g.s.hamm" fenlandfowl @talktalk.net wrote:
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message .. . 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? why are you removing spawn? Why do you want to remove frogs? They won't be doing any damage. OK, thanks all. My worry was plainly unfounded - no competition with the sitting tenants over food after all. And I certainly hadn't realised they were a positive *benefit* to the garden! So, I'll let nature take its course. -- Terry, West Sussex, UK |
On 22/3/05 17:22, in article ,
"Terry Pinnell" wrote: "w.g.s.hamm" fenlandfowl @talktalk.net wrote: snip OK, thanks all. My worry was plainly unfounded - no competition with the sitting tenants over food after all. And I certainly hadn't realised they were a positive *benefit* to the garden! So, I'll let nature take its course. Oh, the relief! I was really worried you were going to be a froggyphobe who wanted to exterminate them from your garden! They will be of the greatest help to you, truly! Now, for goodness sake just sit back and enjoy the ladybirds, too. ;-) -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) |
"Cerumen" wrote in message ... SNIP Given that they eat slugs I would welcome them settling in my vegetable garden or flower beds. Aye Right! That's what we thought, so in went a pond, ten years later one million frogs a fornication and still the same damage from slugs. So last year I put down slug pellets and yes that reduced the damage. I thought that would reduce the frog population but no, the pond is seething with the randy buggers again. Slatts |
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. |
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