Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

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Dave Brown
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Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by Dave Brown »

After 4 years of the tadpoles dying in my wildlife pond, due to leaf litter pollution I think. I dredged most of the decaying material out over winter, and the water was much better looking and smelling. The Frogs returned a couple of weeks ago, and started to spawn, but over the last 4 days it has frozen to a couple of inches, deeper than the Frogspawn was. Will it survive being frozen in ice ?
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Conifers
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Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by Conifers »

The top layer will be killed, but underneath it should be OK.
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Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by Dave Brown »

Conifers wrote:The top layer will be killed, but underneath it should be OK.
I think it is all in the ice as was laid onto creeping couch grass growing into the pond.
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flounder

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by flounder »

I think it possess the same type anti freeze as adults....just doesn't taste the same when frozen :?
GREVILLE

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by GREVILLE »

My three clumps of spawn were frozen almost right through last year as they were laid in a shallow. Judging by the number of tadpoles they must have survived.

Don't know if they worked overtime this year but I counted eleven clumps in the same shallow just before the cold arrived. The ice on it was as thick this March as it was in February last year :shock: Perhaps I will have a Biblical plague of freeze-resistant frogs :wink:
Trudytropics

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by Trudytropics »

Hope they survive for you Dave, better than any slug pellets, a colony of frogs :D
RogerBacardy

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by RogerBacardy »

Dave, think I'm about 20 miles from Chalk, but you must have had it colder than me. Not had any frost on the pond since Jan. Good luck with the spawn, we normally get loads of tadpoles.


Sure I could google it, but would rather ask here: Do toads and frogs remember which gardens have ponds or do they look for them each year, perhaps hearing the sound of running water?
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Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by Conifers »

RogerBacardy wrote: Do toads and frogs remember which gardens have ponds or do they look for them each year, perhaps hearing the sound of running water?
They usually go back to the pond they were born in.
MarkN

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by MarkN »

I was wondering the same OP. My pond has frozen and thawed at least 3 times now, with spawn in it. Pretty sure it didnt freeze too deep down though. I guess we have to wait..nature will out icon_thumleft
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Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by DiCasS »

Here the frogs spawned, the pond iced over, defrosted, and had a good look today and there are literally thousands of tadpoles wriggling about, quite advanced. It's strange really cos in other years I've never had so many taddies before and was wondering, because of cold conditions after spawning, could it be possible for frogs to lay again if they think the first lay is in danger??? The frogspawn looked frozen and dead when I looked a few weeks ago :?

Next year I'm expecting a slug free garden :lol:

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GREVILLE

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by GREVILLE »

Same with me. Judging by the millions of tads in the shallow pond I'd say they'd survive a cyrogenic experience.
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Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by Dave Brown »

Seems all of mine survived as I have thousands as well, and the pond is also full of Palmate Newts. Really glad to have tadpoles this year, as the last 5 years the spawn has died before reaching tadpoles, and I thought the colony was in danger of dying out.

Here's the Tadpoles on 20th April
Attachments
2013-04-20-10-17-52 Tadpoles.jpg
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MarkN

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by MarkN »

I guess we've answered OP's question given the replies - against all the odds my spawn has spawned despite beeing frozen and thawed a dozen times and the taddies are well! Strange how you get swarms of them together all feeding on the edge of the pond and then oyu have others swimming free style in the middle!
huporhaha

Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by huporhaha »

90% of mine froze to death in my pond. A few survived in my stream - about 50 odd taddies but I went away last week-end and it was hot. They all got fried in the dried mud on the bottom. :( I have about three big taddies left in my pond - possibly more but several thousand died in their spawn. I counted 40 frogs mating at any one time in March but then the weather turned really cold and the heron had his fill!
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Re: Does Frogspawn survive being frozen?

Post by Dave Brown »

huporhaha wrote:90% of mine froze to death in my pond. A few survived in my stream - about 50 odd taddies but I went away last week-end and it was hot. They all got fried in the dried mud on the bottom. :( I have about three big taddies left in my pond - possibly more but several thousand died in their spawn. I counted 40 frogs mating at any one time in March but then the weather turned really cold and the heron had his fill!
Thats a shame Hupor

We don't do hot here any more, just windy on calm days, and very windy on the not so calm days :lol:

I noticed the Blackbirds were hanging around the wildlife pond,and had to chase them off, but they'll be back when I'm not there :roll: Thjrey feast on tadpoles given the chance. At least over the last week the Taddies have learned to dive for their lives.

Mine are just starting to form their back legs now :wink:
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