Frogs are a friendly and entertaining addition to any garden, and their welcoming calls indicate a healthy place. In the nursery they make a formidable team of pest controllers.
Frogs require water and a variety of plants that provide both refuge and insects. Adult frogs are carnivorous, unlike tadpoles which are herbivorous. Their diet consists mainly of insects and spiders. Food location is by sight and their prey needs to be moving to stimulate the frog into capturing its prey. Their long, sticky tongue is flicked forward, ensnaring their prey.
At the moment frogs in the nursery are very sleepy, hiding under pots, not wanting to move, but will do so unenthusiastically, as if moving is a tremendous inconvenience. Frogs don't actually hibernate but go into an inactive state known as brumation. When temperatures begin to drop and the days begin to get shorter, frogs seek out a warm, safe hiding place where their metabolism slows to the bare minimum. They rest until it starts warming up in spring time. This winter torpor is essential, to help frogs conserve energy, survive harsh winters conditions and a lack of food. Brumation slows a frog's metabolism and temporarily stops essential activities such as eating, drinking, defecation and movement.
Frogs don't stay inactive during the whole winter period. They will occasionally increase their activity and forage for food and move reluctantly if I disturb them. How often they do this will depend on the weather. Milder days will cause frogs to stop brumating and become active again. If the weather gets colder, they will return to a state of brumation.
Not all frogs have the luxury of a hot house with flower pots to hide under. Some bury themselves deep into the ground or underneath leaf litter, especially along the edges of creeks and wetlands. Others climb up trees and find shelter in deep hollows with moisture.
When the weather warms up and we get a decent rain, hundreds of frogs will make a real racket as if throwing a celebration party to say thank you to the heavens. Different species have different songs, but it's the males making all the commotion.
To attract frogs to your garden you can make a frog pond. Ideally your pond will be irregular in shape with varying water levels. Stock your pond with floating vegetation and protruding branches or rocks, so young frogs have perches and escape routes. Provide some thick leafy plants near the water edge to protect baby frogs leaving the pond, preferably with some leaf litter. Remember to keep your pond free of detergents or other chemicals as these can harm your frogs.
Frogs require water and a variety of plants that provide both refuge and insects. Adult frogs are carnivorous, unlike tadpoles which are herbivorous. Their diet consists mainly of insects and spiders. Food location is by sight and their prey needs to be moving to stimulate the frog into capturing its prey. Their long, sticky tongue is flicked forward, ensnaring their prey.
At the moment frogs in the nursery are very sleepy, hiding under pots, not wanting to move, but will do so unenthusiastically, as if moving is a tremendous inconvenience. Frogs don't actually hibernate but go into an inactive state known as brumation. When temperatures begin to drop and the days begin to get shorter, frogs seek out a warm, safe hiding place where their metabolism slows to the bare minimum. They rest until it starts warming up in spring time. This winter torpor is essential, to help frogs conserve energy, survive harsh winters conditions and a lack of food. Brumation slows a frog's metabolism and temporarily stops essential activities such as eating, drinking, defecation and movement.
Frogs don't stay inactive during the whole winter period. They will occasionally increase their activity and forage for food and move reluctantly if I disturb them. How often they do this will depend on the weather. Milder days will cause frogs to stop brumating and become active again. If the weather gets colder, they will return to a state of brumation.
Not all frogs have the luxury of a hot house with flower pots to hide under. Some bury themselves deep into the ground or underneath leaf litter, especially along the edges of creeks and wetlands. Others climb up trees and find shelter in deep hollows with moisture.
When the weather warms up and we get a decent rain, hundreds of frogs will make a real racket as if throwing a celebration party to say thank you to the heavens. Different species have different songs, but it's the males making all the commotion.
To attract frogs to your garden you can make a frog pond. Ideally your pond will be irregular in shape with varying water levels. Stock your pond with floating vegetation and protruding branches or rocks, so young frogs have perches and escape routes. Provide some thick leafy plants near the water edge to protect baby frogs leaving the pond, preferably with some leaf litter. Remember to keep your pond free of detergents or other chemicals as these can harm your frogs.
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