So the frogs have been out in abundence lately keeping people up the hill awake at night. But here we haven't had any AGAIN for the 5th year in a row. We have a pond, a lake off the back yard and next to an overgrown wild filed that is home to bunnies and deer. But no frogs. I'm thinking its our landlords fault? He sprays a mixture of diesel, roundup and soap as "weed control." Or course I've begged him to stop, that we are capable of mowing weeds, and to leave it alone. But he's old, and bored, and continues to do things he's done, the way its been done since world war 2. He sprays the same stuff on the property we just bought from him and will be moving too. There's a drainage creek that runs across the back of that property and I am afraid that alot of his "spray" has been running off in to that stream, making it impossible for frogs to safely cross from the neighbors orchard field to our new property. Husband finaly got tough and said don't spray there or else. We actually had to tell him to stop as he took the sprayer out of his car and explained that with kids and pets and gardens moving into the place in a few months pesticides and herbicides were absolutely out of the question. Weedeat if he had to but no more spray. I think this spray is why my vege garden has failed year after year. And why the butterflies stay away. :(

So in desperation for some form of wildlife other than the bunnies and deer that eat what veges WILL grow (Zuchini mostly) I've agreed to take my boys walking today to find some frog eggs. Our small pond is going to be moved to the new property this week and will be in a place thats far from the previously sprayed area, plus we'll cover it if we have to. I'm going to be constructing a much larger pond this summer and would like to have frogs hanging out in it.

Question is this - is it too early for eggs? Frogs have been rrr--rrr-ring for about two weeks now. Which would be the best place to find them, the park by the lake or a natural green belt up the hill by the new development where the frogs have been singing? Or do we just try to stop at every tiny body of water we find in a 1/2 mile radius? Should I go back and check the puddles at the animal shelter where we heard them the other night - I think that was toads though, different singing... And what is the best option for getting them out of the water without damaging them? Hands, net, scooping in a bucket?

I had frogs every year as a kid in New Zealand - would run out to the cow troughs with a jar and bring home 2-4 eggs. I'd raise them in a tupperware container (I was a kid remember!!!) and then let them go when they started hopping around... But here things are so different!

:) Thanks!