How to attract frogs to your pond? Frogs are cute, little slimy creatures that add life to one’s backyard ponds and add to the natural glow of manmade ponds. This article will assist you in attracting frogs and toads to your backyard ponds.
All around the world, you’ll come across more than 6,000 species of frogs and toads. Frogs are unique creatures that serenade their surroundings with their lullabies and contribute tons to making a man-made region look as if kissed by nature itself.
Even if you do not adore frogs and toads, having a pond with frogs has a plethora of benefits that you can reap. Frogs keep the ecosystem of your ponds in check and contribute abundantly to controlling the pesky pest and insect population around your pond. The said insects and pests might be disease carriers, so, in a way, having a pond with frogs keeps the diseases and viruses at bay.
Why have a pond with frogs?
Ponds with frogs are popular among natural/artificial pond enthusiasts for a number of reasons. Some of the most common benefits of blessing your pond with a frog population are as follows.
- Frogs add an aesthetically natural vibe to artificial or man-made ponds.
- People love frogs for their songs – it gives them a close-to-nature feel.
- Frogs and eat up exasperating insects and pests. An average frog can eat up to 100 insects overnight. You can do the rest of the math if you have a copious frog population.
- By eating harmful insects, frogs help curb the spread of diseases and viruses.
Will frogs survive in my pond?
Different species of frogs thrive in different climatic and living conditions. If you’ve decided to nourish your pond with a frog population, it’d be best if you focus on the native species instead of going for non-native species. The reason is that non-native species of frogs and toads find it hard to cope in living conditions that they are not accustomed to. As a result, they die.
Even if the non-native species of frogs survive in your pond with frogs, the chances are that they’ll build up a local frog population. The said population can be cataclysmic for the ecological balance and contribute adversely to it. It may even give rise to fatal diseases like Chytrid fungus. Hence, focusing on the native species of frogs would definitely be the correct decision.
Frogs, like other amphibians, are extremely sensitive to ecological disturbances and, as a result, may alert you if your pond isn’t healthy before it has a negative impact on your fish and plants. If you find frogs departing the area unexpectedly, you may need to make some modifications.
Attracting frogs to your pond
Buying different species of pond frogs would definitely be a waste of money as the chances of these pond frogs surviving are very slim. This is because frogs are very sensitive to changes in their habitats, and not all frogs thrive in every living condition.
In times like these, ‘attracting’ is what you need to do to let your pond pass as a pond for frogs. If you’re attracting frogs to your pond, you’ll only get your share of native frogs, and it’s probable that these frogs and toads won’t die on you.
Here’s what you can do to attract frogs to your pond:
Construct a pond that is suitable for frogs
To attract frogs to your pond, you first need to have a pond – it’s as simple as that. Moreover, your pond should be as close to nature as humanly possible – frogs won’t settle near ponds that they think are ‘too human’ for them.
Frogs are not a fan of a single pond – they need multiple ponds to thrive and reproduce. If you have many ponds in your neighborhood, then chances are you might just succeed in your frog attracting goal. Frogs also need a constant flow of water as they hydrate themselves and breathe through their semi-permeable skin. If they don’t find a constant source of water, especially in the summers, they become dehydrated, and their skin dries out.
Here are some tips that you can remember to make the perfect living and breeding grounds for your pond frogs.
- An appropriate pond structure
Frogs aren’t fans of too shady or too sunny regions – they need a balance between both. So, if you’re building a pond for frogs, make sure the region is partially sunny or partially shady. Also, your pond should be around 60cm in depth.
Your pond also needs to allow safe passage for your pond frogs – you don’t want to send them running away! You can ensure this by making sure that at least one side of your pond for frogs is inclined towards a shallow area. You can also use rocks and stones to create steps leading to the shallow region. This allows frogs to enter and leave the pond on their own accord. Frogs won’t dive into the waters if they think that the water is too deep for them or that they can’t go into the water.
- Working on the edges of your pond
Pond edges play a key role in retaining a healthy frog population. The edges around your pond with frogs should be covered with rockery, plants, flora, or other greens to give your frogs and toads a homely feeling. Your efforts around the pond’s edges will also give rise to the population of other wildlife.
- Don’t add fish!
If you want a pond with frogs, you have to compromise on having fish – you don’t want a fish pond. Frogs and toads are the prey of fish and will eat your frogs before you even know if – you don’t want that! Fish also consume any frog eggs and tadpoles. So, if you’re thinking of having fish and frogs both in your pond, think again!
- Don’t buy or bring frogs from another habitat.
While considering nurturing your pond with a frog population, you don’t want to buy or bring frogs from another habitat. Let the frogs come to you. If you transport them yourself from another pond or habitat, they might bring sickness and diseases with them.
A place frogs could call home.
Frogs need a constant source of water to stay hydrated and for their organs to function normally. While working on attracting frogs, make sure your pond is always filled with water, and there’s plenty of room for frogs to frolic around.
Frogs like humid, chilly environments and hence require access to locations around the pond where they may hide from the sunshine and any threats. Make hiding places for them by creating unkempt regions consisting of leaves, lumber stacks, and plants. Alternatively, turning some potted plants on their sides and slightly submerging them can give much-needed refuge for any frogs that happen to visit your backyard.
You also need to keep predators away if you want to create a safe haven for your frogs to thrive. If you have cats and dogs on your property, make sure they aren’t found anywhere near your pond for frogs. You can use a fence to achieve this and restrict your pets’ access to the pond.
Stay clear from water cleaning chemicals.
Frogs are extremely sensitive to chemicals. Their skin is semi-permeable, which means they get all of their moisture and most of their oxygen by soaking it all through their skin instead of ingesting or inhaling it as humans do. Unfortunately, this also means that they absorb whatever else is in the soil and water, such as fertilizers or other pollutants.
Chemicals have the potential to cause a wide range of problems, from malformations to death in frogs. If you have a backyard pond, you’ll want to limit your use of them to keep it healthy and naturally balanced for your pond frogs.
As frogs dwell on both land and water, avoid applying fertilizers or chemicals such as insecticides near the pond. Using aquatic vegetation and water filters, you can keep your pond’s pH and oxygen levels stable.
Pond plants and flora
Frogs and plants go hand in hand. Not only do pond plants beautify your pond, but they also attract frogs. If you wish to attract pond frogs, you need to have pond plants around and inside your pond; it’s that simple.
Pond plants provide shelter, hide grounds from predators, and shade to frogs while simultaneously working on improved water quality. All of these benefits provided by pond plants motivate frogs to settle and breed in your pond.
Allowing a tiny quantity of algae to develop in the water is also crucial since both fish and tadpoles feed on it. However, too many algae may wreak havoc on water quality.
Water lilies are an excellent choice for the pond since frogs may hide beneath them, lay their eggs on their leaves, or relax on top of them. The blooms will also attract insects for them to eat.
Hostas, sedges, ferns, and long grasses around the pond’s edge will not only provide habitat, cover, and shade but will also help absorb (to a degree) harmful stuff like fertilizer before it reaches the water. Make certain, however, that any plants you employ are not harmful. For example, rhubarb, daffodils, and honeysuckle are harmful to most frog species, so avoid growing them near the pond if at all feasible.
Attract ‘em all!
Frogs are an excellent addition to your backyard ponds for a number of reasons, the most prominent one being their ability to curb the insect and pest population that lurks around your pond. While simply buying frogs for your pond may seem like a compelling option, you are better off just attracting frogs to your ponds.
Attracting frogs to your pond is no rocket science, and using the right techniques, you can end up with an enormous frog population before you know it. So, don’t wait! Get started on your frog attracting journey now; your pond is rooting for it!
Frequently asked questions
How do I encourage frogs to come to my pond?
To allow frogs to enter securely, make sure at least one side of your pond slopes to a shallow region. If this isn’t possible, adding a ramp or stones and boulders (for the frogs to utilize as stepping stones’) works as well. Plants, boulders, and vegetation provide important shelter along the pond’s margins.
Why are there no frogs in my pond?
The lack of frogs and toads might be attributed to weather patterns or changes in local ecosystems. Amphibians may still be too early to return to the pond, depending on the time of year and the weather. In certain circumstances, a dearth of breeding amphibians in your pond may be due to a local population reduction.
How long does it take for frogs to find a new pond?
Amphibians frequently make their way to a pond within a year or two, and some can traverse more than a kilometer to reach new ponds.
How deep should a pond be for frogs?
A frog pond should be a minimum of 60cm deep, located in a shady region, and have shallow sides for tadpoles. If you desire a frog pond, you won’t be able to have fish since they prefer to eat newborn frogs.
Can frogs survive without a pond?
Frogs actually spend more time outside of ponds than in them and only go in to procreate or cool off. Even if you don’t have a pond, you’ll be OK in the long grass or beneath some shrubs. Don’t be concerned if you believe your garden is being obstructed.
How do you lure a frog out of hiding?
Leaving damp towels out might draw the frog to a certain place. Because frogs are nocturnal and will seek out dark, moist places to hide, throw the towels or a bowl of water in a dark spot, such as an open closet. Check them on a regular basis to see whether the frog has been attracted to the location.
