Frogspawn advice

1. Frog or toad spawn?

Frog spawn is laid in clumps of jelly-like eggs, usually in shallow water. Toad spawn is laid in long chains of single eggs and is usually laid in deeper water. Newts lay single eggs.

2. Is there too much Frog spawn in my pond

As they do not look after their young, only a fraction of spawn will survive to become adult frogs. For this reason Frogs lay thousands of eggs each year, so there really is no such thing as too much spawn.

3. My spawn hasn't developed properly

There are many reasons spawn may not develop. Frog spawn needs sun and warmth to develop properly, so spawn failure may commonly occur when there there is too much shade or it is damaged by a late frost. 

4. Can I give spawn to friends/family to put in their pond?

Moving spawn or tadpoles between ponds can spread invasive plant species and amphibian diseases. The host pond may also not be suitable for frogs if it has not already got spawn. 

5. I’ve found spawn in a puddle at risk of drying out – what should I do?

Frogs often lay spawn in puddles and other temporary water bodies which, hedging their bet that the spawn will develop in the warm, shallow water before it dries up. Please don't move the spawn or tadpoles to another pond due to the risk of transferring amphibian diseases and let nature take its course.