Newts and stuff

[saddad]

Knew we had them, seen them on other people's plots... saw my first on mine today... clearing under the hedge... put him straight back in an area I had dug..

Frogspawn.. had a clump in the pond a couple of days ago... but it seems to have vanished? The frost won't makke it sink will it?
 

[Debs]

newts & frogspawn!!!

Lucky you

Two ponds in my garden & no frogspawn - did have newts last year but haven't looked this year

Debs

[1066]

that's great news, haven't seen my residents yet this year (including the slow worms) 

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't worry about the spawn, it'll be OK as long as it doesn't dry out. It's so nasty tasting that things which eat frogs often leave the spawn. I've seen frogs spawning in ponds with ice on them; neither they nor the spawn is bothered.

[saddad]

Here he/she is in all its glory...




sat on a breeze block.. 

[pumpkinlover]

Arn't they gorgeous

[saddad]

He has a yellow tummy with dark spots... but didn't want to turn him over to get a photo! 

[northener]

Nice one, used to see them all the time 30 years ago

[naff]

Not seen any newts yet in either pond but we do have tadpoles/diving beetles and duckweed!!

[1066]

Saw newts basking in the sun yesterday and uncovered a slow worm - pleased to know I have my residents back 

[saddad]

The spawn is now loads of tiny tadpoles...
some muppet keeps putting grown Koi into our sites wildlife pond.... 

[1066]

definite Muppet!! Why don't people act responsibly..... grrrrrrrr.....

[Toadspawn]

Does anyone want some newts? Counted at least 12 this afternoon and I know there would have been more hiding in the weed.

Loads of frog spawn laid and then hundreds of tadpoles hatched out. Now not one left for the third year running. They have all been eaten by the newts probably although I can't rule out the part played by dragon fly larvae and the great diving beetles.

Anyone any suggestions how to get rid of a lot of them, but as it is a wildlife pond not all of them.

[Robert_Brenchley]

How do you know it's the newts eating them? You've mentioned two major predators, after all. Do the newt tadpoles survive?

[Toadspawn]

I wish I knew the answer Robert, it is disappointinting to see hundreds of tadpoles reduced to nil in a matter of weeks.

Yes, I have seen newt tadpoles in the pond and I can only assume that they reach maturity because of the number of adult newts in the pond. However, I cannot be sure because I have no way of checking.
I know there may be a couple of giant diving beetles in the pond and they are considered to be very aggressive predators.
A lot of dragon flies emerge each year so yes, the larvae must be potentially a major predator.

I have taken the precaution this year to put frog and toad tadpoles in separate mini ponds and hope to introduce them back to the main pond when they have nearly turned into froglets and toadlets. I am hoping they may be too big for the predators to eat, but we shall see.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Are you sure the tadpoles are all being eaten? It seems extremely strange that frogs and toads should be eaten, and not newts. I wouldn't necessarily expect that many to survive, but you could try playing around with a pond net and seeing exactly what there is in there.

[Toadspawn]

There may not be many newt tadpoles, but they do exist. I haven't looked this year so far because they are not that easy to see, but will have a closer look over the next few weeks. This year unfortunately the frog tadpoles hardly had time to leave the spawn before they were eaten.
The toad tadpoles were acquired from another pond so they have been kept separate from the main pond and so far they and the frog tadpoles in their mini pond are growing well..

[shirlton]

Just been reading about frogs and found out that only 5 survive to breeding age out of 2000

[Uncle_Filthster]

That's nature for you, sometimes good years, sometimes bad and that's the reason why amphibians have quite a long lifespan to cope with predation, drying out ponds, etc.  One thing I've found through doing this as a job is it's often better to let them get on with it and they will find a balance themselves providing the habitat is ok.

[Andy H]

Always had 2 frogs but this year hiding in the pump chamber were 4 frogs and a newt! Never had a newt in the garden, scooped out the frogspawn as it can`t be in there, put in tubs with bullrushes and giant iris in. they are doing well, wish I had written the date down they hatched.

Feeding them on powdered koi food and they go crazy for it. Just trying to up the survival rate a bit.

If they end up in main pond then they are history though.