Frogspawn Hunting

The days are starting to grow longer and warmer. Signs of spring are all around us. The children have been eagerly awaiting the return of frogspawn to the ponds in our wood. Depending on the weather, frogs usually spawn in late February or early March.  Frogs can lay up to 5000 eggs that will hatch after around two weeks (depending on the water temperature). When the tadpoles first emerge, they have a tail but no legs. They feed on algae, small plants and sometimes each other!

The tadpoles back legs start to grow at around 16 weeks, followed by their front legs. They will then lose their tales as the turn into froglets and venture out of the water. The gills that they used to breathe under water will develop into lungs, though frogs can breathe through their skin too! Although frogs can spend months underwater, they can live on land also. They are often found in meadows, gardens and woodlands and often hibernate in compost heaps. Adult frogs are carnivores and eat insects, slugs. Few frogs survive the journey from frogspawn to adulthood hood as many animals and birds prey on them. Frogs rely on camouflage to help protect them from predators. They can live up to 3 years. If you do spot frogspawn in a pond or stream, remember not to disturb it. They have a tough enough journey to make it to adulthood without us interfering! Why not take a photo or do a drawing of it. It is great fun to revisit over the weeks and watch them grow.

This weekend why not go for a walk in the woods and see how many signs of spring you can spot.

For inspiration and ideas of things to do in the woods in springtime why not visit the Woodland Trust website.