Here is recording of the recent webinar I did on frog pond construction and frog conservation, and answers to the questions submitted by the viewers. Click here to see a blog post I did on this subject a few years ago. Here are also three other articles I did later on as frog pond updates: Here and Here and Here.
| I have some hard-shell liners that fill up with debris and cleaning them is difficult. How do you keep your pond from silting in. Cleaning organic debris is tedious but necessary. We manually remove excess leaves, dead aquatic plants and algae in the spring after the hibernating frogs and other creatures become active, but before frogs begin laying eggs. If we don’t don’t do this, the algae gets out of control which causes depletion of dissolved oxygen and nutrients |
| Did you bring in frogs or did they just come when you were done? We finished the pond in mid April, and by May frogs had begun to arrive and breed in the pond. |
| why did the skin on the frog,( that you played in slow mo), look like it was peeling off? This was a gray tree frog, and the skin looks mottled to camouflage against the bark of trees where it spends its life except when it is breeding near a water source in the early summer or hibernating in the ground or deep in dead logs or leaf debris. |
| Do the bull frogs eat the smaller frogs in your pond? Yes, frogs will pretty much eat anything that will fit into their mouths, including smaller frogs. It is a frog eat frog world. |
| Approximately how many frogs reside around your pond? This number varies greatly throughout the spring, summer and fall. Normally there are maybe a dozen aquatic frogs (bull and green) that live in the pond all the time, but dozens and dozens more will show up during their species breeding time, such as when the many tree frogs and toads arrive in May and June to breed. |
| How long did it take for the wildlife to find your pond? We are lucky to live in the forest, near natural water sources, so wildlife already resided in the area, but frogs, aquatic insects and predators arrived within a month of the pond being filled with water. |
| Do all of the frogs and toads in your pond area coexist? Yes, they coexist as they do in a wild water body. They compete for food, and sometimes prey on each other. |
| You don’t need rocks, excavate a hole, use railroad ties for boarder Yes, there are many ways to build a pond. As long aa there is constant water, the creatures will use it. |
| What if you don’t have location to have a small pond, what else can you do to help frogs? By being very careful about the chemicals you use to control weeds, insects, and fertilize your yard, you are helping frogs as these chemicals wash into wetlands and waterways. Planting native plants, which nurture native pollinators, helps, as these are often prey for frogs and toads. |
| Do frogs hibernate? If so, where and for how long? This depends on the species. Aquatic frogs, like bullfrogs and green frogs, will lay on the bottom of the pond, or in the mud and organic material, and remain inactive until the water warms up (when daytime temps rise into the 60s/70s. Terrestrial frogs, like wood frogs, tree frogs, and toads will bury themselves in the ground, or in piles of leaves. |
| What prevents bullfrogs from decimating other frogs and toads in its native range? In their native range, evolution has reached a balance among its native residents. Frogs and all creatures are often vulnerable to invasive species, as they have not evolved defenses or behaviors to defend and hide from them. |
| Where does the water come from for the pond near your house? We originally filled the pond with well water. After that, rainwater maintains the level. During very hot dry periods we top it off with our well water via hose. You can use city water that has chlorine, because the chlorine evaporates in 24-48 hours, but using dechlorinated water is the best method if possible. |
| How does a frog or toad breathe while calling? The call is all from one breath! |
| I have a really small pond in my yard. Are cats a problem? I see the cats but don’t have the pond on web or trail cam. Cats will prey on frogs. Frogs are most active at night, so if you bring your cat inside at night it will reduce predation. |
| I turned off the pump to encourage tadpoles and frogs. Did I do the right thing? I don’t think the pump will deter frogs and tadpoles. Be careful that you have mesh over the pump so tadpoles are sucked in. |
| How do you introduce the frogs into the pond? It is best for frogs and toads to find your pond naturally. If this is not possible, you could introduce them. It is possible, but not really recommended to capture them and transplant them from the wild, I would suggest eggs or tadpoles instead of adults. It is possible to order live tadpoles, but make sure the species is native to your region! |
| Do deer come to your pond and eat the flowers? Deer in this area are pretty shy and they haven’t done this yet, at least to our knowledge. Rabbits and ground hogs do. We use a product called “repels all” when damage is occurring. It is safe and natural, and is made from animal blood. Herbivores smell it and avoid the area, as it can attract predators. |
| What is the altitude of the Ozarks and how high is it where you live? Our house is 700 feet. |
| I used a flexible pond liner that I could mold to the side but put it directly on the dirt. I don’t remember what kind it is. I live in Southern California. Do you think it is leaking? If the pond level drops constantly, it could be. If it isn’t raining, the level will naturally drop due to evaporation. if there are no sharp rocks under the liner you are likely OK. |
| Will a small pond attract frogs? Yes, but the larger the pond the more frogs, of larger sizes will be able to live there. A small pond will attract small frogs, toads and tree frogs during breeding season. |
| Did you import your frogs or did they come into your pond naturally from the big pond? They all arrived naturally. |
| Can you make a resource guide for next week for us to print from the webinar? I will provide resources. For ordering pond supplies and asking for support, The Pond Guy is an excellent source. |
| Suggestions for mosquito control? If your pond if healthy, dragonfly larvae and adults are deadly mosquito larvae and adult predators. There is a product called mosquito dunks, which is a bacteria that kills mosquitos that you can put in water. I don’t use this because I dont need to, and do not want to risk eliminating other insects. It is supposed to be safe for non target species, but I don’t want to risk it. |
| What’s an indicator species? A species whose status provides information on the overall condition of the ecosystem and of other species in that ecosystem. They reflect the quality and changes in environmental conditions as well as aspects of community composition. Frogs are very sensitive to toxins in the water because their skin is so permeable (to allow them absorb Oxygen through their skin), so the presence or absence of frogs is am indicator of water quality. Lichens are very sensitive to air pollution, so their presence indicates good air quality. |
| But wasn’t Roundup BANNED? Certain areas and cities in California the Pacific Northwest have bans, but it is not banned federally. Many nations have banned roundup. Most of the glyphosate restrictions or bans throughout the world were introduced following the 2015 IARC report on glyphosate. The IARC report concluded that glyphosate is a “probable human carcinogen.” According to the report, the cancers most associated with glyphosate exposure were found to be non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other hematopoietic cancers. The report further concluded that glyphosate exposure caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells, as well as genotoxic, hormonal and enzymatic effects in mammals. Other glyphosate studies have linked the chemical to a number of health issues, including, but not limited to ADHD, Alzheimer’s Disease, Autism, Birth Defects, various forms of cancer, Celiac Disease, Colitis, Heart Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome, Kidney Disease, Liver Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease. |
| So how deep in center? Edges? The pond has a deep section around 3 feet. We have a shallow end which caters to aquatic vegetation around 1-1.5 feet. |
| Most of the time I hear the frogs at creek bed, but find it impossible to find them. Is it better to look for them with a flashlight in the dark? They can be seen basking in the sun during the day, but it is much easier to find them with a flashlight at night by following their calls. |
| What can I do to stop the city from using Roundup in our neighborhood park? I would maybe try petitions and contacting local officials. |
| Happy Wednesday! Just thought I’d mention that CA has labeled round-up a carcinogin and may have limited its sales already! Amira Yup! that is great news. |
| Do the various species of frogs eat each other; bigger ones eating either smaller ones or their eggs or tadpoles? Thanks Many many creatures eat frogs, eggs and tadpoles. Predators include other frogs, snakes, fish, water spiders. raccoons, birds, cats, otters and more. This is just part of the natural balance. Frogs lay many many eggs, so some always survive. |
| Do all these species live in the pond at the same time and how long do they live? Many species only visit temporarily for their breeding periods. Green, leopard and bullfrogs spend their whole life in and around the pond. |
| Would the big frog bite? No. |
| Does the frog pond attract other predators – I’m thinking of larger birds or maybe raccoons, etc.? Yes, the sound of frogs is a call for predators. I think the large frogs are too fast at escaping into the water for raccoons. Otters, if present can catch frogs easily in the water. Our biggest frog predators are snakes, owls and herons. |
| Okay, have to ask, do they ever find it hard to sleep with all the noise? And if they have a dog, does the high pitch bother it? I think I’d have trouble sleeping! It isn’t loud from inside the house, and we love the sound. It can be a little loud next to the pond for some people. |
| Wow, I totally wish I had a huge backyard now! Even a small backyard can be enhanced habitat. A fountain, pond, native garden, bird feeders etc…. |
| Do all toads secret a poison? To my knowledge, they all do, some are much more toxic than others. No toads in the USA are any more than a possible skin irritant to humans, but can make cats and dogs sick. Some toads around the world are much more dangerous. |
| Are the guteral pouches used to attract mates & for sound enhancement? Yes, the vocal sac is used as a sound amplifier which attracts females. |
| Does the dwarf American toad do all that singing on one breath? Yes! It is amazing! |
| Will frogs eat wasps? I haven’t seen it, but I have read they will. |
| Where can I find floating islands to buy? I bought ours at home depot. You can also order them online, on amazon, or from The Pond Guy. |
| I have a bird /dog bubbler. Three rocks piled up with heater thru winter in Wisconsin. wonder if I could enlarge it to include frog habitat? I am sure it would work if frogs are in your area! |
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