Frogspawn anyone?????

[Johnny Appleseed]

Well, the others are starting to go cloudy now as well. When they first appear the spawn is crystal clear except for the little black dot in the middle, but now the cloudiness is setting in and you are quite right Bilbowaggins - two of the others are now sinking.

We are now up to 10 balls - how many females could produce that lot - any idea?

There are many males grappling with the female.........they are forming a ball all over her and rolling around in the shallows inbetween the reeds.

Just wish I had the time to "stand and stare" it's fascinating.

[BilboWaggins]

We are now up to 10 balls - how many females could produce that lot - any idea?

No idea how many girl frogs you've got but am very envious - I think the pond is the thing I miss most from our old garden and being realistic, it will be a year or so before I get one here.

[rana]

Frog spawn turned up in the ponds around here (Poole) during the last week. I have an oblong formal pond in the garden with vertical brick sides and overhanging slabs on top so I was most suprised to see frog spawn turn up 2 days ago. How the frogs got in or out of the pond I have no idea unless of course it is the very rare Dorset flying frog.

[Johnny Appleseed]

Nature in the raw - blood, tooth and claw

Not for the squeamish - please stop reading here if easily upset

I let the dogs out late last night for their final comfort break of the day. Usually they run out, have a quick pee on the lawn, sniff around the borders and are back in their beds before Mrs A has finished brushing her teeth.

But not last night. Leo followed his usual pattern but Ella took ages. She would not leave our garden shed. Running around the perimeter of it, sniffing and breathing quickly in her excitement with little yelps of frustration.

I tried offering her a biscuit - no response. I tried a chew stick,her favourite - still not interested.

I went to see what was the matter and grab her. No chance. She just danced away and ran around the shed - nose to the ground. Back indoors for the torch.

The shed in on 50mm square bearers, so I had to lay on my side at midnight shining the torch under the shed to see what all the fuss was about.

We have four bearers and three voids under the shed. Nothing in the first void except cobwebs and snails.

I shone the torch in the second void laying on my side cursing and came face to face with a bloody great rat. He was staring straight at me - his little black eyes looking right at mine. I jumped backwards with horror - not expecting that at all.

I ran back indoors for the air rifle and again had to lay on my side to take the best aim I could 50mm above ground level. The rat was still there as Ella was making sure he didn't get out. The torch showed other things were moving under the shed as well as the rat.

The rat turned from me to face Ella and I couldn't pull the trigger because her face was directly in front of the rat and my gun barrel. She got impatient after several seconds and danced to one side - I fired and it was all over.

The noise of the gun going off at such close range and under the shed made Ella jump and she came running up to lick my face to seek reassurance.

However, the rat was not the only thing moving under the shed. The torch showed at least 2 frogs very badly hurt and trying to move away from the light. One frog had blood all over its face, might have been from shooting the rat, and both were very clearly mutilated and close to death. One had had one of its back legs chewed off and both were in a very bad way.

Two more shots and they were put to rest.

After all the activity in my pond over the last few days there wasn't a single frog in it last night.

Do rats attack frogs for food perhaps? I had no idea they were interested in frogs as a food source.

Anyway, after months of trying to trap a rat in a garden trap, Ella did it for me. I hope that is the end to it.

I really hate rats. They make my skin crawl.