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What triggers spawning?
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Posted by dampflippers Tyne & Wear UK (My Page) on Thu, Mar 17, 05 at 5:43
Does anyone know what actually triggers spawning. I don't mean the urge to go to the pond, but after they have been coupled up for a while, why does the female suddenly lay the eggs? Does the male's grip tighten, does she need to be still? does she need to be prodded by all the other frogs?
I have my pond cam on, and the poor females look so uncomfortable, and go a reddish colour presumably with the stress and exertion. At the moment one male seems to be pushing their heads under the water.
There aslo seem to be periods of calm, when all the frogs relax, then suddenly it's all change, and everyone crawls to a new position.
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: What triggers spawning?
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| I haven't figured out what causes the first frog to spawn but a couple of years ago after a week of thrashing about and still no spawn, I added a clump from my Salford pond. The day after there were about 20 clumps ! There is about two ton of frogspawn going to waste in the Bury Area of greater Manchester if anyone wants to go and collect some. The frogs come down from a disused railway embankment and lay the spawn in a giant puddle in the car park of a tile & bathroom place. Unfortunately The area where the puddle was, has been taken over by a car valeting firm and the car park re tarmacked. All this frogspawn is lying now in a 4 foot shallow puddle and likely to dry up.
If anyone lives near enough and wants to know where, send me an e-mail. Dave |
RE: What triggers spawning?
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| Cant you dump it in a canal or one of the dams. Your good deed for the year. |
RE: What triggers spawning?
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| Dave, phone or email your local paper or TV station. They are quite likely to make a story out of it if you put a wildlife gardening slant on it. |
I forgot to say
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It's interesting what you say about the trigger. I had seen no frogs at all till I saw 2 clumps yesterday, but I read on another website where he had had courting frogs since February, but no spawn till a few days ago! (poor females is all I can say).
This year mine are spawning in the beach area with about 3 or 4 inches, and at times they seem to use the spawn there as a life raft. So maybe they need something to press on the underside of the lady. Also forgs seem to dive under others on purpose. I don't know whether it's females wanting to be grabbed or males who want to be near the action and contribute their sp**m at the mement of spawning (sorry, am I allowed to use that word?) |
RE: What triggers spawning?
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| Here's a link to the site I was talking about: http://www.fanaticalaboutfrogs.co.uk/index.htm |
Here is a link that might be useful: Fanatical about frogs
RE: What triggers spawning?
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| Down south they spawn earlier, some one I know in Plymouth has spawn about a month before I do. They are southern softy frogs!!!!!. Which reminds me, Kazzie have you got any? I would think you pond will be froggy heaven when they find it, perhaps you could trawl the local ditchs and transplant some spawn if needs be. |
RE: What triggers spawning?
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Could it be sunshine ?
This is the first really sunny day since the majority of frogs arrived,
I've got plenty of frogspawn in Manchester now.
Yes, There is a little Gunnell runs the length of the embankment, each year I move several clumps to ensure at least some survive. This year is no exception but the original puddle still has lots in it and and likely to dry up soon unless there is rain.
Dave |
RE: What triggers spawning?
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| All of my spawn has appears over night so far, I suppose it could be early morning. |
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