Frogs

Frogs

			The common frog Rana temporaria, no longer all that common in this country is very much in evidence for most of the year, but never more so than in the spring breeding season. We often lay awake at night listening to the noise coming from the largest pond which is about 50 foot(15.2m) from our bedroom window. Some years there can be over 40 frogs in there, all with only one thing on their minds. They sometimes form up into a ball of males surrounding one female; how she doesn't drowned is beyond me. The males never tire of croaking in their efforts to be accepted, although it always seems to me that it's the ones not croaking who are in the midst of the action. All this activity is quickly followed by the arrival of clump after clump of frogspawn. Spawning can be as early as February in a mild winter, but more usually occurs in late March. Most of the frogs spend the winter at the bottom of the pond, supposedly hibernating, but I have seen them moving about under the ice when the surface has been frozen over. The tadpoles develop very quickly especially during warm spells of weather. Soon the rear legs start to develop, followed shortly afterwards by the front legs. During this time the gills are absorbed and proper lungs develop. The tail is the last to go and then it's time for a tiny little frog to discover dry land.
Ah to be young and in love. These guys knew how to hug long before the internet.



Safety in numbers? As soon as the first lot of eggs is laid all the other frogs add their contribution to the mass. I am not sure whether it is safety in numbers, or just that the spot chosen receives most sun, thereby speeding up development of the embryos.
Tadpole development (raised in aquarium indoors therefore development speeded up)

5 days	6 days	7 days	8 days	9 days	10 days

3 weeks	6 weeks	8 weeks


Basking in the sun in April (five in this shot).
A somewhat startled looking frog, they come in a vast range of colours and markings, no two the same, but they are all common frogs.
			Good day for a dip in the pool.
This shot was taken in October and shows a rather fat frog all set for winter, notice once again how many different colours this one species can assume.

Frogs

All this activity is quickly followed by the arrival of clump after clump of frogspawn. Spawning can be as early as February in a mild winter, but more usually occurs in late March.

Most of the frogs spend the winter at the bottom of the pond, supposedly hibernating, but I have seen them moving about under the ice when the surface has been frozen over.

Ah to be young and in love. These guys knew how to hug long before the internet.

Safety in numbers? As soon as the first lot of eggs is laid all the other frogs add their contribution to the mass. I am not sure whether it is safety in numbers, or just that the spot chosen receives most sun, thereby speeding up development of the embryos.

Tadpole development (raised in aquarium indoors therefore development speeded up)

5 days

6 days

7 days

8 days

9 days

10 days

3 weeks

6 weeks

8 weeks

Basking in the sun in April (five in this shot).

A somewhat startled looking frog, they come in a vast range of colours and markings, no two the same, but they are all common frogs.

Good day for a dip in the pool.

This shot was taken in October and shows a rather fat frog all set for winter, notice once again how many different colours this one species can assume.