Topic: Tadpoles

[thifasmom]

hi I've been following this thread since it appeared a few days ago. i have never heard of tadpoles not developing, does anyone know why this happens. i tried googling but i didnot get any answers. thanks for the reply just curious.

[Flighty]

I was told that if there's too many in a pond then there's a point where the larger ones will emit a hormone inhibitor into the pond to prevent the rest growing. Obviously there would be overcrowding and a lack of food if they all did so it appears to be a survival mechanism!

[thifasmom]

I was told that if there's too many in a pond then there's a point where the larger ones will emit a hormone inhibitor into the pond to prevent the rest growing. Obviously there would be overcrowding and a lack of food if they all did so it appears to be a survival mechanism!

oh i see, thanks for the reply.

[Flighty]

Thifasmom you're welcome. I must say that I never knew that and like you couldn't find anything on the net about it, although it does sound like a reasonable explanation.

[thifasmom]

yes quite agree, that this reason sounds plausable, if i come across differently i will post on here.

[star]

Georgie..................Re Flighty's reply, I didn't know tads wouldn't survive over winter. Its a shame but its nature I guess. Thanks for the info Flighty.

I agree that frogs will spawn anywhere in water, even a large puddle. Then the taddies die when the puddle dries out. We are concerned that far too many frogs will spawn in our small pond, then its a case of do you leave them (OH certainly wont) to face their natural consequences or distribute them to other ponds?

The difficulty in moving them is viruses, we as humans think we are doing the right thing. But nature managed much better before we interfered out of kindness thinking we know best. Mother Nature is harsh but in being so determines the fittest survive to breed and evolve with their surroundings.

My gosh I sound like a granny(oh I am  ;)..........sorry for the lengthy post, which probably hasn't told you anything you didn't already know ;)

[Georgie]

Georgie I have a old washing up bowl as a pond on my plot!
A plot neighbour tells me that tadpoles at this time of year won't develop or survive whatever you do. They're either die if there's a frost or birds will eat them.
Sorry if that's not what you want to hear!

Hmmm.  Well it's good to know that a washing up bowl will suffice as a pond.  I followed the link Star posted and there is a thread there about under-developed tadpoles.  Lots of speculation as to the causes but some seem to think that they may over-winter and develop next year.  It's worth a try a think.

G x

[Baccy Man]

I always have frog, toad & newt tadpoles which overwinter in the pond & metamorphose the following spring. With colder summers the number of tadpoles that overwinter goes up drastically this year the summer has been non existant & only about 40% of the tadpoles have developed & left the pond, between the local blackbirds & the neighbours lawnmowers I expect most of those have already been eaten/killed. The rest will overwinter then take their chances out of the water next spring.
The only exception is the white tadpoles which always overwinter I have never seen them develop in a single summer & they don't last long out of the water the following year because the blackbirds can spot them so easily.

[Georgie]

I always have frog, toad & newt tadpoles which overwinter in the pond & metamorphose the following spring. With colder summers the number of tadpoles that overwinter goes up drastically this year the summer has been non existant & only about 40% of the tadpoles have developed & left the pond, between the local blackbirds & the neighbours lawnmowers I expect most of those have already been eaten/killed. The rest will overwinter then take their chances out of the water next spring.
The only exception is the white tadpoles which always overwinter I have never seen them develop in a single summer & they don't last long out of the water the following year because the blackbirds can spot them so easily.

Thanks Baccy Man, you have raised my hopes.   :)

G x

[Baccy Man]

I should point out my pond is roughly 3' deep & there is plenty of plant material for the tadpoles to eat during the winter.
In a shallower pond with less on the way of food the survival rate is likely to be lower.

[Georgie]

I should point out my pond is roughly 3' deep & there is plenty of plant material for the tadpoles to eat during the winter.
In a shallower pond with less on the way of food the survival rate is likely to be lower.

I assumed that the tadpoles would hibernate.  Is that not the case?

G x

[Baccy Man]

Mine don't hibernate but that could just be the mild winters, bats don't hibernate around here even though they are supposed to.