
This morning there were still a few left overs in the pond, a few dead toads and a film of milt on the surface of the water. This afternoon one area of the pond where there is thick plant life a group of toads seem to be guarding garlands of eggs. In a week or so the pond should be boiling with tadpoles and than a second exodus from the pond to other places will occur with the new, small toads. It is highly likely the fish in the pond will be feasting on these toad eggs.
If the pond were in balance we would still have an annual toad orgy but there would also be herons, kingfishers and other birds that like to eat a toad on occasion so there would not be this explosion. In time the balance will happen but this is a young pond so the predator to prey ratio is way off, among other things.
1 comment:
Nope they were definately toads. Like frogs, toads are amphibians and must lay their eggs in water. They did lay eggs and than left the water. Toads do not give birth to live young that I know of. And besides these critters were dead ringers for the toads hanging out in the garden right down to the lumpy skin. If they were frog they would have had smoother skin and different coloration and would still be in and around the pond.
As of yesterday the pond was free of toads except for the eggs hatching into tadpoles.
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