If you build a frog pond, they will come.
Everyone has a happy place, and for a frog it's somewhere damp and interesting. These harmless, cold-blooded amphibians live on every climate but Antarctica, and have not changed much from their dinosaur days. They are highly adaptable to many climates, but to attract frogs and convince them to stay, an area must be available that is safe and offers plenty of food and shelter. Therefore, frog pond owners cannot simply rely on such an ecosystem to be self-sustaining. It must be maintained.
Instructions
1. Provide individualized care to plants and shrubs around the perimeter of the pond. This will give frogs shady, secluded places to rest and be protected from predators, and to eat, since such vegetation attracts insects that frogs feed on. Prune overgrown plants with loppers, but ensure the pond remains partially shaded. Do not treat nearby plants with pesticides, because it can kill frogs.
2. Maintain a consistent water level in your frog pond. Periodically check structures used to make such ponds, like old bathtubs and plastic containers, to ensure there are no cracks that could be letting water drain out. Replace the pond's plastic liner if water keeps escaping. Make sure the ramp from the pond to the ground remains gently sloped and is free of sharp debris. Replace materials used to make shallow, sloped ramps, like sand, if they erode or break down.
3. Introduce new frogs to the pond if the population decreases, but none that are from more than 12 miles away, because non-native frogs may upset the habitat by spreading fungal diseases. Transport no more than four small frogs in one lightly inflated, strong plastic bag, or one big frog in one bag, never mixing the two sizes in one bag. Carry tadpoles or immature frogs in glass jars with a small amount of water from where they were captured.
4. Keep fish out of the frog pond, or only introduce fish that control mosquitoes, such as rainbow fish. Do not release fish that are poisonous to frogs, like goldfish or mosquito fish. Incorporate local invertebrates to help maintain a natural ecosystem.
5. Use a pool net to remove excessive leaves that fall on the pond in the fall, because they can increase nutrient levels too much, depriving frogs of oxygen as they break down in the water and emitting an unpleasant odor.
6. Periodically check the surrounding property to make sure that frogs that want to take up residence in the pond have access. Properties surrounded by walls and fencing need to at least offer small spaces for frogs to hop through on their journey to the pond.
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