Froglife

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What Our Animals Are Doing This Month

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Written by Madeleine Barnes, Transforming Lives Trainee.

Drowsy December

As we bundle up at home to survive the chilly weather, so do reptiles and amphibians. As they are ectotherms (cold-blooded), heat is very important to their regular functions and so they ‘hibernate’ through the cold in cozy places such as hibernacula, log piles, hedgerows, the deepest areas of ponds, or under rocks and leaves. We won’t be seeing much of our species until next year.

Hibernation is a blanket term to describe the lowered activity of many species in the winter, but in the UK only 3 animals undergo true hibernation: bats, hedgehogs and dormice.

The species Froglife conserve overwinter or brumate, meaning they may become active for brief periods if the weather warms up. To help them out, avoid disturbing piles of natural matter (e.g. log, rocks, leaves) and if you are able to do so safely, clear the surface of frozen ponds from fallen leaves or snow to allow sunlight to reach the depths – this will allow submerged plants to photosynthesise and produce oxygen for any amphibians waiting out the winter down there!

You can find further tips on how to look after amphibians and reptiles during winter here.

If you spot any of our species out and about during winter, please remember to record them on our free Dragon Finder App. Data from the Dragon Finder App is crucial going forward to monitor the relationship between temperature changes and the behaviours of reptiles and amphibians in the UK.

How can you help wildlife this winter?

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Written by Ellia Cobb, Transforming Lives Trainee.

As the weather is getting colder and the temperature starts to drop, reptiles and amphibians are getting ready for brumation. Brumation is similar to hibernation in that it is a state of deep sleep undergone throughout the colder months as they cannot survive winter conditions. Amphibians and reptiles will however come out to forage during warmer periods. 

There are different things you can do at this time of year to help brumating animals such as building your own hibernaculum or creating a log pile. Creating a hibernaculum is simple and if you have leftover garden waste from the summer, this is a great use for it!

You start by digging a hole, it doesn’t have to be too wide or deep, just enough to retain heat to keep reptiles and amphibians warm. Once you have done this, you can start filling the hole with logs, rocks and bricks. Once you have filled some of the hole, you can start piling the larger logs and sticks a little higher than ground level to then cover with softer things such as leaf litter and bramble (these help to trap the warmth). Finally, you can use the mud you dug up to then cover up the hibernaculum, remembering to leave some gaps so that the animals can get in and out. 

If you don’t like the idea of digging, log piles can be just as effective by stacking logs, branches, rocks and leaf litter. This also makes a great habitat for brumating reptiles and amphibians.

 

It is super important not to disturb compost heaps, log piles or even piles of leaves during the colder months.

More Ideas:

You can find even more resources and ideas for making your green space more wildlife-friendly here.

 

What our animals are doing this month

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Written by Nathan Gardner, Transforming Lives Trainee

Newt November!

As November comes along, we start to settle down on the couch with a warm mug of hot chocolate in hand. Our animal friends are also beginning to settle down as they begin their long slumber of hibernation.

However, newts (as well as other amphibians) do not hibernate, instead they ‘brumate’ (meaning they will come out to forage during warmer periods) which will usually begin from the start of November up until February. Being cold-blooded, winter is not the kindest towards reptiles and amphibians. Therefore, they will take refuge in warm, unfrosted areas such as the underside of log piles and even inside of animal burrows.

Surprisingly, newts can even brumate at the bottom of ponds, but these ponds must have certain requirements. They must be deep enough that the water does not completely freeze and have lots of dissolved oxygen. Newts have skin that can absorb oxygen through the water, therefore allowing them to stay underwater throughout winter.

Sweet dreams, newts! We look forward to seeing you next year!

 

What our animals are doing this month

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Written by Nathan Gardner, Transforming Lives Trainee

The warm summer days have faded as we reach October, which means that our native amphibians and reptiles have one thing on their mind: starting brumation. This process differs to that of the mammalian hibernation in that rather than a sustained period without bodily functions such as eating, drinking, or defecating, amphibians and reptiles will occasionally leave their hides in order to drink – which is important in regulating their bodily fluid levels – and perhaps bask in the sun on warmer days.

Most amphibians and reptiles are referred to as ‘ectothermic’, meaning they cannot generate their own body heat. Instead, they rely on their surrounding environments to warm and cool themselves, regulating their blood flow. Winter, of course, poses quite the issue for these critters, and they must seek refuge to buffer themselves from the harsh cold. It is important for amphibians to locate a hide that is moist, such as compost heaps or abandoned mammal burrows, as they have permeable skin as a means of absorbing water and oxygen. Reptiles have a more robust respiratory system, and thus can survive in drier conditions such as deadwood or leaf litter.

Here are a few suggested steps you can take in your own garden to help amphibians and reptiles have a successful brumation:

  • Leave mounds of loose soil and piles of dead leaves or compost in the garden corners.
  • Avoid disturbing these areas and withhold as much garden maintenance as possible.
  • Leave small bowls of water beside these areas regularly; amphibians will need to soak, and reptiles will need to drink.
  • Try building your own hibernaculum; a specialized hide consisting of logs, stones, and soil.

It is crucial that any amphibians or reptiles you invite into your garden feel safe and provided for. Let your grass grow and do your best not to disturb any dark, moist patches or corners. Please click here for more information. 

What our animals are doing this month…

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What are our animals up to in January?

It is a pretty quiet month for our reptiles and amphibians with the odd frisky frog exception that may start spawning early. That said, the ever-increasingly erratic temperatures that come with climate change may influence how active they are as they do not hibernate as such, but ‘brumate’. Brumation is a period of dormancy like hibernation, but our wonderful species will take trips out of their hideaways to bask in the sun or have a quick snack in warmer weather.

This is an ideal time to think about how you can help these charismatic animals in the coming months and plan some habitat features in your garden. That area at the back of your garden with the extra garden waste you couldn’t fit in your compost heap could be added to or transformed into a log pile or Hibernaculum. That area you think that looks a mess with the long grass could be a winter home for some critters that need to be left alone for a little longer. Doing things like this saves you gardening in the cold, and you can always say it was an intentional creation of habitat for our deserving amphibians and reptiles.

So, on a warm day you may have a rare wintery glimpse of a common lizard basking or common frog topping up on their energy reserves. Happy spotting!

Always remember to record your amphibian and reptile sightings on our FREE Dragon Finder app. All the data collected is sent to the National Biodiversity Network Atlas. You can download the app here.

What our animals are doing this month…

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As we enter the final month of the year our amphibians and reptiles should be overwintering and sheltering from the cold. Unlike many animals which hibernate during the winter months, our species do not take part in true hibernation, instead they overwinter or ‘brumate’ which means they enter a state of reduced activity.

They will take shelter in extremely cold weather in cosy places such as hibernacula, log piles, hedgerows, rockeries or under leaf litter. If the climate is warm enough though, they will venture out and forage for food.

Some amphibians overwinter in ponds such as male frogs that bury themselves in silt at the bottom. They shut down and absorb oxygen from the water, so having native plants in ponds helps to produce oxygen through photosynthesis. These plants need sunlight though, and so it can be helpful in winter to carefully clear any snow which is covering the pond to provide sunlight for plants.

Even some tadpoles can overwinter, but this is considered rare, and they do not have a high chance of survival.

Always remember to record your amphibian and reptile sightings on our FREE Dragon Finder app. All the data collected is sent to the National Biodiversity Network Atlas. You can download the app here.

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