Froglife

Leaping forward for reptiles and amphibians

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What our animals are doing this month….

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What are our animals up to in February?

As we ‘hop’ into February common frogs are out and about spawning. Well, this winter they have already started, as the first sighting of Frogspawn was on 23rd December in the Isles of Scilly! Mainland Britain is hot on its heels with milder spells in January creating a great opportunity for spawning.

The deep croaking is a dead giveaway of male frogs trying to attract mates. The males clasp the females in a bear hug waiting for her to spawn so he can fertilise the eggs. The result being large jelly like clumps of spawn that as they mature start to float. This is where the danger sets in as if the weather changes and the pond ices over the spawn on the top may not survive, however, spawn that is submerged has a much better chance of survival.

You can help by submitting your sightings of frogspawn and any other amphibians and reptiles to our Dragon Finder App – these records help us learn more about how our changing environment affects our species.

What our animals are doing this month…

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Late spring or early summer is a good time to be on the lookout for tadpoles! You might spot common frog or common toad tadpoles or, if you are lucky and on the coast, you might even spot natterjack toad tadpoles!

You might have spotted a few tadpoles already as frogs can lay their frogspawn as early as January and it can take two to four weeks for tadpoles to hatch out. As the tadpoles grow, they become faintly speckled with gold/brown and will slowly grow back and front legs!

Common toads breed a little later than common frogs, laying double strings of spawn and wrapping it carefully around vegetation. Again, it will take two to four weeks for the tadpoles to hatch out. To tell the difference between frog and toad tadpoles, you simply have to look at their colour. Toad tadpoles remain jet black and can also form shoals so can be easier to spot.

Common frog tadpoles
Common toad spawn
Natterjack toad spawn. Credit: Matt Wilson

 

The natterjack toad is confined to just a handful of sites on the coast in the UK and is only found on the Solway Coast in Scotland. Breeding for natterjack toads takes place in March/April but can continue into the early summer. So, depending on the natterjacks in your area, you may see males waiting by the pond edge (making loud rasping noises to attract the females), natterjack toad spawn or even some tadpoles!  Natterjack toad spawn is laid in single strings with their tadpoles being smaller than common toad tadpoles and sporting a grey spot on their throat.

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

Reptiles in London

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Although London is a large urban landscape, it is home to a wide range of fauna and flora. One group of London wildlife that is often overlooked are the reptiles. London is home to four native reptile species: Adder, Grass Snake, Common Lizard and Slow-worm.  

If you are inspired to go out and look for London’s reptiles, here’s a couple of site suggestions for 3 of the most common species to find around the capital from courtesy of our London team.

Common Lizards:

  • Little Wormwood Scrubs, Kensington & Chelsea

Slow-worms:

  • Lesnes Abbey, Bexley

Grass Snakes:

  • WaterWorks Nature Reserve, Waltham Forest

Remember to report your reptile sightings (including juveniles and eggs) on our free Dragonfinder app.