Frogs for Slugs

[Bex]

As I'm trying to be as organic as possible I was going to put a very small pond on my lottie and pinch some tadpoles from the park in the spring. I'm hoping this will help with the slugs and snails.

Is this a good idea, or have I really lost the plot?

[Nicos]

Bex- that is a great idea !
Best to take frogspawn though as once they hatch, I understand they will return to that specific pond the following year. Remember to plant a few plants to provide shade nearby and a smallramp for wildlife to help them climb out!

[nick the grief]

One thing to bear in mind Bex make sure it's as child proof as possible just in case one falls in when your' not there. Also you want to make sure hedgehogs can get out as well as these will eat more slugs that a frog.

you want a profile like this

[Bex]

Thanks both, I was only going to do a really small pond, more of a puddle really as there is a local stream if they get desperate. Your right about getting frog spawn Nicos, hadn't thought about them migrating. Wonder when the right time is for frog spawn - i can feel a google coming on..

[HappyMouffe]

Bex, you've probably already done this, but check with the site management that you can have a pond - we can't

[Bex]

Happy, hadn't thought of that, I was just going to put a puddle somewhere up the back of the lottie but will ask tomorrow, he will be there collecting the rent. Thanks

[Waffler]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/...watch/results/

If you go to the above Spring Watch website, you will be able to look at when the frogspawn appeared in any area of the country this year. This might help you to identify a good time to begin looking. Although, something else to bear in mind if you're only having a 'big puddle' (LOL) is the tendency for small quantities of water to freeze, so you might lose your spawn to any cold snaps. However many a frog has lost its spawn to the cold and they always lay more and/or some survives anyway, so persevere with it and we can compare notes on what we've got next spring (hopefully on our new 'wildlife' board).

Good luck - hope the fat controller says it's ok!

[Earthbabe]

That's a great idea Bex. Hope it works well for you. There are a couple of ponds on our site already and we are very close to a stream so so far I haven't given much thought to wildlife but we are hoping to put up some boxes this autumn and bring in some additional "ladybirds" next spring as a start. I'm also building a "log pile" (well it's more small branches) in a neglected area of our plot.

[snohare]

Great idea Bex, a friend of mine has one that is just about the size of a kitchen sink for exactly the same reason. As far as cold snaps go, I think the secret is to have lots of damp leaves and stones under which they can shelter, even at the bottom or sides of the pond; but frogs will actually live anywhere that is damp enough (eg under sheds, in boggy leaf drifts) and just go to the pond to spawn in spring if needs be.

[Bex]

Thanks Guys, looks like March is the time to get spawn so will have to have things ready for then, might use a large kitchen bowl and put a log pile nearby. My son is quite excited about having pet frogs, bless him!!

[Nicos]

You'll need to check his pockets then before his washing goes in the machine!!!

[Bex]

LOL, Nicos, hadn't thought of that

[craigpugh]

there is some frog spawn at the local wildlife pond near where i lve, i wondered about pinching a bit fdor my new allotment pond, but is this ok, or does it come in the same vein as never picking wild flowers?

[Flummery]

Our frogspawn surfaced in the middle of Febuary this year - and we're fairly northerly (not like you Scottish Islands people, but compared to many). It was usually on/around March 19th for many years but has had a sudden Global Warming leap forward this year. However, not wishing to put anyone off the idea, but just before spawning we counted 15 frogs in the back garden pond (in various combinations of 2 and 3- who am I to judge!) but we still have more slugs and snails than you could shake a VERY large twig at. Probably we'd have more if they weren't there but they don't totally cure the problem.

[Nicos]

I wonder if the increase in numbers of snails is anything to do with the decline of some species of birds in our gardens??
I didn't think frogs ate snails cos of the shell- but I wonder if they can manage baby ones??