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Froglife Online Research Conference 2026

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Join our FREE 2026 Online Conference and explore the latest research, conservation work and discoveries relating to the UK’s amphibians and reptiles.

Hear from expert speakers on a fascinating range of topics, including the impact of Froglife projects, slow worm translocation, toadlet emergence, adders in Cornwall, predator-induced tadpole behaviour, and insights from Citizen Science Dragon Finder data.

A fantastic opportunity to learn more about the research and conservation helping to protect our native species.

REGISTER HERE

 

See below for more details (these are subject to change)

Conference Agenda

Presentation Summaries

The Dragon Finder App

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Written by Chloe Davey: Transforming Lives Trainee

As part of the Transforming Lives Project, the trainees and our wonderful volunteers collect data by participating in frequent reptile surveys. This data helps Froglife to keep a record of the different species residing on our three reserves. These include: Boardwalks Nature Reserve, Eye Green Nature Reserve and Hampton Nature Reserve.

We can’t be at all three reserves at the same time, but thanks to the Dragon Finder app, you can be a citizen scientist and help us by reporting what you see on your walks at our reserves. The Dragon Finder app also helps you to easily identify our reptile and amphibian species and is completely free to download!

Whilst doing a spot of maintenance at Eye Green, Trainee, Jade, was ecstatic to discover a rather large female common frog. Upon this magnificent discovery the other trainees rushed over in awe, after all who doesn’t love a frog? For the trainees she was a remarkable sight indeed as they were informed that there were no frogs on that particular reserve. This information was immediately reported on the Dragon Finder app, informing Froglife of the sighting and also everyone else who has downloaded the app.

The Dragon Finder app is great for nature enthusiasts. It can help you easily identify the many species of reptiles and amphibians in the UK. With a few questions about your sighting, the app can easily deduce what species you have spotted. You are then given the option to report your sighting, which helps inform us and other app users of the discovery. More information about the animal you saw is also provided by reading through a short yet fascinating description.

Sometimes what may be a common sighting for you may not be common for others. Keep that in mind the next time you make a discovery on your walk, you never know, your report may be more exciting than it seems!

Good luck readers, we look forward to your discoveries!

*Dragon Finder app data is also shared with the National Biodiversity Network and can be viewed on their online Atlas here. 

Croaking Science: 2023 so far- what have we learned from the Dragon Finder App?

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As we fast approach the spring and our amphibians and reptiles begin to stir after their winter period of relative dormancy (known as brumation) we can expect sightings to increase in frequency. Whilst the occasional pioneering common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) or adder (Vipera berus) will emerge from their hibernacula to bask in winter sun, it’s the UK’s amphibians that bring the most herptile activity to this time of the year. This is reflected in the sightings that have been reported to Froglife’s Dragon Finder App so far in 2023.

At the time of writing (mid-February 2023), we’ve verified 42 reports submitted to the App; 24 sightings of common frogs (Rana temporaria), 6 encounters with common toads (Bufo bufo), 8 palmate newt sightings (Lissotriton helveticus), 2 smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) sightings and 1 sighting of a great-crested newt (Triturus cristatus) and an alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) respectively.

All this amphibian action heralds the commencement of their breeding season. Common frogs lead the charge; the earliest report of frogspawn this year came to us from the Isles of Scilly, 45km south-west of mainland Cornwall, reported to us on the 9th January yet seen on Christmas Eve! UK common frogs spawn earliest here due to the archipelago’s unique climate – the moderating oceanic influence on which means that winters are warmer there than anywhere else in the UK and consequently snow and frost (potentially detrimental to spawn) are rare. We’ve received a total of 11 frogspawn reports so far in 2023, with the majority of these coming from Devon & Cornwall, reflecting the relatively warm winters experienced by the southwest more broadly. We’re now looking forward to witnessing reports of frogspawn slowly popping up in increasingly northerly and easterly locations as we pass through February and into March and April.

We’ve received 6 reports of common toads, but only one of common toad spawn, reported from Devon. Interestingly, the Dragon Finder App user that made this sighting was also able to spot a number of instances of a frog and toad engaged with one-another in ‘amplexus’, the act of the male using rough nuptial or ‘thumb’ pads to clasp onto the female whilst she deposits spawn. Common toads often begin to migrate to their ancestral breeding ponds from February, waiting for a comparatively warm and wet evening to do so.

Therefore, be sure to keep a keen eye out for reptiles and amphibians as the winter draws to a close and make sure to report your sightings through our free Dragon Finder App – the data we receive provides a wonderful insight into what our species are up to, as well as when and where this activity is occurring. Happy spotting!

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers!

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This month we’d like to highlight the time, passion and creativity that our volunteers bring to our projects.

All over the UK, the Froglife teams create & restore habitats and hold events to help educate the public on the importance of conserving amphibians and reptiles and saving the habitats they depend on. At all of these events, across the countryside and cities we have a strong team of volunteers who are always there to help spread the conservation message and get mucky to help our little frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards!vol KW2016

These volunteers not only give us their time, they also share their talents with us by regularly taking photos and creating fantastic videos after we’ve completed projects at sites.

So here’s a few bits that they’ve shared with us:

  • This amazing underwater video of tadpoles in Olive Branch Community Gardens, was shared to Rebecca Neal, Conservation Youth Worker, for Peterborough Green Pathways by one of her volunteers. Froglife put the ponds in 5 or 6 years ago through the Wildlife Ambassadors project, and this video clearly shows us that the frogs like the ponds we made!
  • This selection of videos come from Katie Garrett, one of the London Dragon Finder volunteers. Katie often comes along to our events and work days, gets muddy and still manages to take amazing photos and videos! Check her out on twitter, @katieggarrett, as she often posts more images and short videos of the amphibians and reptiles she sees when she’s out and about. When she’s not volunteering with us, she also volunteers with Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Centre, making films for their conservation efforts. She’s a Herp Hero!

So again, a MASSIVE thanks to all our volunteers from everyone here at Froglife!

This is how SMILEY you make us!
You make us all SMILE!

From the East of England to South Lanarkshire Froglife boosted by Biffa Award

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biffa award logoConservation plans have spawned an extensive work programme to create and restore ponds across South Lanarkshire and the East of England. In total 45 ponds will be created and restored, 33 in South Lanarkshire and 12 in the East of England.

Our South Lanarkshire Living Water and River Nene Dragon Finder projects have been given a massive boost by Biffa Award with grants totaling £96,178.

Our CEO, Kathy Wormald, said “There has been a steady decline in ponds and this negatively impacts on our local amphibian and reptile species and other pond life. Building work across the UK, has destroyed habitats. Our projects are addressing this issue by helping to create new habitats and to improve existing ones”

The South Lanarkshire Living Water project is part of an ongoing scheme of habitat creation and restoration that is taking place across Scotland, and the River Nene Dragon Finder project is working all along the River Nene from its source in Northamptonshire to where it meets the sea at the Washes. In total the River Nene Dragon Finder project will be working on 160 sites of which 12 are entirely funded by Biffa Award.

The projects will also train local groups of volunteers associated with each site providing communities with opportunities to get involved in their local green space.

Gillian French, Programme Manager, Biffa Award, said “Biffa Award is keen to support projects which improve access to the countryside and encourage us to learn more about our natural environment. This project does both and the training of the volunteers will mean that more people will be able to enjoy the ponds and surrounding habitats.”

Ponds are crucial for amphibians such as frogs, toads and newts, as well as reptiles and a broad range of other species. These vital habitats are at risk of disappearing from areas all over the UK, both through deliberate changes to the landscape, and through mismanagement and neglect. Our projects aim to tackle this through on the ground action and volunteer support.

The work will start this spring/summer, with new ponds appearing in time for the amphibian breeding season next spring.

The Nene Dragon Finder launch event poem

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Our Conservation Youth Worker Trainee wrote this poem about the River Nene Dragon Finder launch event:

Town Hall venue, impressive ceiling;

Everyone’s coming to the big revealing!

Get ready the banners, badges, projectors;

James and Nathan are the project’s directors.

Guests arriving! Greetings, drinks;

It’s starting! ‘Seats please!’ Latecomers sneak in!

Tales of dragons, adventure, and hedgehogs?!

Frogs, toads and newts of course are mentioned.

Now time for food, talking, meeting;

Even chat to the Mayor whilst we are eating!

‘A successful launch!’ ‘A joyful scene!’

‘Can’t wait to find dragons in the Nene!’

 

By Catherine Duerden

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