Not tent caterpillars.

any chance of pictures?

I realize now that I passed up a terrific educational opportunity, but, frankly, I was so grossed out that I hurried to get rid of them before even thinking about my camera!

morz8--a fellow NWer--came up with what I think is probably the answer (on the pest forum). It probably was tree frog eggs. But now I feel bad that I tossed them over the fence into the woods.

Maybe someone on the other forum has a good formula for frog spray.

Yea! I was able to dig it out intact and wash it off a little. Any thoughts?

Pacific Chorus Frog eggs. My little ponds out front are full of them but I've also found them in plants where there has been standing water.

Put it where the hatchlings can fall into a pool or pond.

Thanks for this educational post. Our native frogs are in so much trouble with the infestation of giant frogs that I would hate to disturb their eggs, should I be lucky enough to find some.

Again, from another thread, not frog eggs.

Dan

I sent the picture off to WSU expert and here is his take:

"From the size and appearance of the glob, I would say it is probably an egg mass from one of our common salamanders, Ampbystoma gracile, the Northwestern salamander. There is an image on the page at http://share3.esd105.wednet.edu/rsandelin/Fieldguide/Animalpages/Amphians/Salamanders.htm
I suspect that raccoons may have been prospecting in the pond and carried the eggs some distance. They are possibly distastful so were just left where they were dropped. Alternatively, if there are any children in the area, they may have tossed the eggs out."
The Slater Museum has a good photo, too, at http://slatermuseum.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html
cheers,
dave pehling

Here is a link that might be useful: Salamanders

scroll down to see another picture of the egg mass.

Here is a link that might be useful: Slater musuem

Salamander or treefrog they are both native amphibians that should be welcomed and not tossed over the fence ;).

Thank you so much! I will put them back in or near the edge of the pond.

Nancy Ness from our local WSU extension thought they looked more like salamander too: "They look like salamander eggs to me. According to "Plants and Animals of the Pacific Northwest" by Eugene Kozloff, all our frogs and toads lay their eggs in water. Salamander are more terrestrial. "

Apparently salamanders do eat mosquito larvae so not a bad thing to have :)

Interesting. Dang coons!

Hopefully the eggs haven't dried out and will continue to develop.

Dan

I have found frog eggs outside of my ponds recently. Whether the froggies were confused because of all the rain/standing water or whether a raccoon transported them they were not where they were supposed to be, in the water. I dumped them all back into one of the ponds. I have many small and container ponds.