If you like slime (and who doesn't?) you'll love this post. Every week I empty the goldfish pond and put new water in. I get to see who is living in the pond and who got sucked up into the pump. I am grateful that the headcount remains at 11 for four weeks in a row. That would be the goldfish. The frog population is growing by leaps and bounds (frog humor). Four small frogs have moved in and one large bullfrog has made this tub his home. We had five small frogs but I watched the bullfrog eat the little darling froggy, and there wasn't a thing I could to do to save him. Why aren't they eating the fish? Has anyone heard of Cannibal frogs?
The fish love it when the water is pumped out and they rise to the surface to eat the disgusting slime that is dislodged in the process. Notice their open mouths. A few times something disagreed with them and I could see them spit out the distasteful sludge. It must be a fine line between gourmet sludge and the awful kind.
Here is one of the tiny frogs. Not much bigger than the fish, and just the right color to match the algae clinging to the edges. They are very camera shy, and when I sit by the pond I must stay very still for minutes and minutes before they appear at the surface. No moving on my part or they dive deep or hop right out of the water, with a "Meep" sound.
A close-up frog portrait. Not at all green like Kermit. But the bullfrog (not pictured today) has a green head and dark brown body. I have no idea if they are the same kind of frog, or toad, or what the difference is.
When frog spotting it pays to look for the eyes at the surface, as they are two shining orbs, which of course lead to the rest of the frog just under the surface.
The very tiniest member of the bunch. Barely visible, and so cute. I like a pet you don't have to feed or wash, or deflea.
Melody, I love the way you share what is going on in your life.
ReplyDeleteWe visit the nearby arboretum several times a week in the summer and we always check out the frogs. Last year we took the great grandkids and though we told them to look for the eyes (bumps)they had a hard time spotting them. This year there were hundreds of them,teeny tiny, small, medium, large and tadpoles too. They were in the water by the dozen and all over sitting on the lily pads. No problems spotting them at all. Who knew that frogs would be the high point of our day.
Ooh pretty new header!
ReplyDeleteThe header looks great!
ReplyDeleteGet the bullfrog out of there or you will have no other frogs. Bullfrogs are well know for cannibalism. They will eat any frogs small enough for them to swallow. They will eat pretty much anything living that they can get hold of.
ReplyDeleteCatch the bullfrog and let him go in another pond, lake or whatever if you can. Give him the Vulcan peace sign (Live long and prosper), wish him well and go back to your pond with your frogs, who will be much relieved that Bullfrog the Barbarian is gone.
I agree with Diane M-the American Bullfrog is a well known cannibal- will eat anything in sight, and then start on smaller frogs, and then start eating each other! When that runs low, they start laying more eggs so they can eat more of their family! They can destroy your whole ecosystem in less than a season. Get the bullfrog caught, and head him out of town where there are beasties that can eat HIM and his relatives, to keep the ecosystems healthy.
ReplyDeleteO dear. My big pond is loaded with bullfrogs and this little tub pond is where the smaller frogs have found a home. We have ZILLIONS of frogs here and catching them and taking them elsewhere is not likely to happen.
ReplyDeleteYou should hear the noise all of them make at once all night!
Those fish with their mouths open were such a hoot! How fun ia that??
ReplyDeleteOoh pretty new header!
ReplyDelete