Frogs are now spawning in ponds and the evidence of tadpoles can be seen floating on the surfaces of ponds.  The arrival of the spawning season could be detected a little while ago as the male frogs seek to attract their mates by a low gentle croak. Frogs return to the same pond or water source to spawn each year so once you have managed to attract them into your garden they will faithfully keep on coming year after year. Frogs can live for up to 8 years.

Spawning looks like a water wresting match resulting in between 1000-4000 eggs fertilised but vast amounts  get eaten by predators so only a few per thousand survive, develop into tadpoles and then metamorphosis into frogs . The truly endearing thing about frogs is that their diet includes slugs. When mature and living in the garden, frogs are a real gardener's friend and will eat slugs and snails helping to reduce the slug populations. More frogs means less slugs. Frogs will be attracted by the conditions to breed in which is shallow water and over the winter they hibernate in compost heaps, logs and leaf piles.

Frogs do not live in ponds, they only spawn in them but live in the garden and like shady undergrowth in which they can conceal themselves, and leap out when disturbed to hop off to another hiding place. For ideas on plants which attracted bees and butterflies follow this link.