Creating a frog haven in your yard is easy and as the saying goes, 'build it and they will come!'
Australia has a multitude of amazing frog species all with their own distinctive calls and habitats. Finding the frogs that will be most likely to visit your area is the first step in creating a thriving symphony in your garden. This article will cover the likely habitats of Australian frogs and how to incorporate them into your pond design, the common dietary requirements of frogs and how some species are likely to breed.
Pond construction
Frog ponds are not much different than traditional fish ponds however it is very important that the frogs can access the pond from ground level, not all frogs are great climbers or athletic jumpers so being able to hop along the ground into the pond is very important.
Hard surfaces around the pond are not ideal for frogs as they frequently burrow in the soil available around the pond to make their homes, so designing your frog pond within the garden rather than close to paving or concrete will ensure a higher chance of success.
The material your pond is constructed out of may affect whether or not frogs will be attracted to it or not, for example; concrete ponds can have a significantly higher pH than their natural habitat, this could damage the frogs skin and in severe pH could burn the frog. Frog skin is super important to their health as frogs breathe oxygen through their skin! That is why frogs are so sensitive to chemicals such as pesticides in the water and ground. Materials like PVC, plastic, fibreglass and rubber are more desirable to construct your pond out of as these materials are inert and will not change chemistry or leach harmful chemicals into the water.
Pond features
The aesthetic features within your pond are an important consideration for frog habitat. When designing the appearance of the pond, try and use natural components like rock and timber rather than metal ornaments and features. Metals can leach into the surrounding soil and water which could contaminate the habitat for the insects that frogs feed on or the frogs themselves.
Pebbles, rock and timber will not have any adverse affects on the environment, so try to construct caves, hollows and other dark places where the frogs can take shelter and stay moist. Also consider that we want many insects visiting the area around the pond so that the frogs can always find something to eat, another important reason why pesticides should never be used in a garden trying to increase biodiversity. The health of the frogs food population will determine the health of the frog population.
Consider the flow of your water feature (if it has a pump) frogs often lay their spawn in slow flowing or stagnant water and tadpoles are not always the strongest of swimmers. At the Natural Pond Store, we would recommend a super gentle flow (x2 pond volume per hour) throughout the system to prevent mosquitos from breeding in the pond but to also allow tadpoles to swim comfortably too.
Pond Plants
Pond plants are going to encourage frogs by maintaining the ponds water chemistry by filtering out the nasties and providing clean water back to the ecosystem.
Submerged pond plants are vital to tadpoles as they will produce oxygen for the tadpoles to breathe in, they will also provide much needed shelter and a surface for an algae smorgasbord to grow on for the tadpoles to gobble up.
Marginal bog plants will provide places for insects to breed, frogs to hide and slow the flow of water around them, providing micro habitats for other critters to thrive, in turn boosting the health of the whole ecosystem.
The key to a good frog pond is a large amount of vegetation, mainly to provide shelter for all insects and frogs so that the feel comfortable enough to stick around and start a family in your yard.
Algae is a plant too! It is a very important component of your frog pond. What may look unsightly to us could be very appealing to frogs, algae is the core food source of most tadpole species, so encouraging algae is vital to the successful transition from tadpole to frog. A visibly messy pond is generally a good one for frogs to live in and around.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep fish in my frog pond?
Depending on the size of the pond, yes some fish can be kept in a pond that encourages frogs. Some frog and tadpole friendly species include White Clouds and Murray River Rainbows. Goldfish will eat frog spawn and tadpoles.
To ensure the frogs feel the most comfortable it is a good idea to separate fish from frogs as fish generally prefer a much higher flow and will demand some of the oxygen within the pond which could mean less tadpoles. We would ultimately recommend a dedicated frog pond with no fish if we were doing everything we could to encourage frogs into our yard.
Will my lighting affect frogs?
Pond lighting will affect the frogs, however some affects will be positive and some will be negative.
Too much light will discourage frogs from wanting to live in your pond however one small light may just attract the frogs dinner straight to his door. All in all trying to mimic the natural habitat of the frog is our end goal so we would not consider adding lighting to a dedicated frog pond.
How long will it take before frogs appear in my pond?
A difficult question to answer, frogs will often migrate to new digs during rain events, however your local frog population will also affect the time it takes for frogs to move in. If there aren't any frogs in your local area they might not ever attend your garden paradise. If the rivers and bogs around your community are healthy, chances are frogs could move in as soon as the next rain event. It is very hard to say.
We implore you not to relocate any frogs to your garden. There are diseases within the natural environment that can spread very easily through relocation of tadpoles and frogs. By relocating any frog you are doing the adverse of what you set out to do, protect frogs. If there are frogs in your area and you have created a safe haven for them, they will come eventually.
I can hear frogs in my local area, how do I know who is who?
The Australian Museum has created an excellent phone app for identifying frogs by their calls and location. The FrogID app is downloadable here. By recording and submitting their calls you are helping gather data for frog conservation and health.
You can download this from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store.
