The period of January to March marks the wonderful time of year of Frog and Toad spawning season. This means that frogs and toads across the country will begin laying their spawn arounds lakes, ponds and rivers. This season is important to the conservation and protection of these delicate creatures. 

Did You Know?

Frogs and toads are considered keystone species who play an important role in the wider environment and ecosystem. They are connected to many different species through their food web. They act as natural pest control, eating slugs, snails and various insects such as beetles and flies around our gardens.

What is Frog and Toad Spawn?

Frog spawn is laid in large, jelly-like clumps, while toad spawn is found in long, stringy lengths, often resembling a pearl necklace, usually wrapped around algae and other aquatic vegetation. The tadpoles develop throughout the spring before metamorphosing and hatching into froglets by early summer.

What are the Threats to Frogs and Toads?

Some of the biggest threats to amphibians, like frogs and toads, are habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and climate change.Whilst both frogs and toads are wide spread across the UK, these factors, among others, have led to a decline in their overall population.The Common Toad has seen a 68% decline since the 1980s.

As a Land Management company, we aim to provide well-maintained, sustainable PublicOpen Space to our residents whilst also supporting the environment around us. Some of our sites have SUDS (Sustainable UrbanDrainage Systems) and ecological ponds, which are designed not only to reduce the risk of flooding but also to provide wildlife a place to thrive.

How Can We Help?

There are many ways for you to help support frogs and toads throughout the spawning season and into the summer.

If you have space in your garden, you may want to build a pond. Not only is this good for amphibians, but also a wide variety of plant and animal species.

If you already have a pond in your garden or in your local area, go check it out for frog or toad spawn and record your sightings on the Freshwater Habitat Trust’s PondNet spawn survey recorder.

If you are feeling creative, you may wish to build a Toad abode in your garden. This little house made of stones and rocks can act as a damp shelter for amphibians.

Here are a few examples of some Toad Abodes you could create:

Toadstool Cottage

Place a plant pot on the ground, upside down, with an opening so that the toad can come and go.

If the pot is cracked in half then simply take half the pot and bury the broken edge in the soil so the rest of the plant pot makes a roof!

Log Hollow Hideout

Partially bury a hollow half log into the ground 1-2cm deep, with a nice opening at ground level for your toad to come and go. This is a great option if you want a more natural home for your friend and happen to have some spare logs lying around.

Ribbit Retreat

Gather pebbles and rocks in a circle on the ground, about the same size as the opening of your plant pot.

Be sure to leave a gap so the toad can come and go. Place the plant pot upside down on top of the pebbles and you’ve got yourself a great little toad abode!