New bull frog to my pond

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I have noticed for the last few days strings of yellow ( mucus looking ) stuff floating on top of my pond. it appears to be some sort of egg. Well today when feeding the fish I noticed a large bull frog in one of the floating plants. In 10 years I have never had a bull frog in my pond . My question is , did she come into my pond just to lay eggs or is it a permanent resident. If a permanent resident what do I do in the winter for it as I live in Md. ( zone 7 ) and I also have a EPDM liner with nothing on the bottom. Thank you for any advice.
 
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be aware, bullfrogs can and will eat your fish. There's even pics of them eating birds, so...were it my pond, there'd be an evacuation!
 
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I have a few large koi , most of them 24" - 28".
then your fish should be fine! Re the wintering, don't worry, the frog knows what to do. From the stories on the forum, frogs come and go, so you may not have any say whether it stays, goes, hibernates, or spends the winter somewhere warmer! If eggs, you'll probably see tadpoles (maybe not as koi can consume them) or baby frogs next summer.
 

mrsclem

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Just make sure there is some way for the frog to get out. I have raised ponds, nothing on the bottom. Every spring I find dead frogs in the ponds.
 
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Take a pic if it's still around. Also, Green Frogs look just like bull frogs with minor differences, namely being a dorsolateral ridge, and will gladly populate your pond, especially if the water is OK. If their tympanum (ear drum) is same size as their eyes, it's a female (both species). If it's noticeably larger than their eyes, it's a male (both species). Both species have different, distinct calls though, making it easy to distinguish w/o actually seeing it. If you remember hearing it's call or if it's still around, watch a couple videos of each call for verification. Green frogs have various calls, but usually those videos are playing what you'll hear most often. Their eggs appear to be similar too.

From what I've seen around my pond (probably have 15+ green frogs, not including 25+ of their tadpoles just growing rear legs now) is the male (green frog in my case) will pick a spot and claim it. He'll eventually call out periodically. If challenged, it'll give a warning call. Eventually, females will come in to the area, or are already there, and have the ability to respond to the calls; I have 1 large female that's been lured in by the males and seems to hang around now (or will leave and return) and has laid eggs twice now (few days ago and earlier in the year). Guessing she's 3-5 years old. She'll go to the spot where he called from, then lay her eggs. Eggs "unfold" in about 3 days and they'll cling to nearby surfaces until larger. Have a bunch of smaller females and had a large male around, but he's either left, been eaten, or died somehow.

Anyhow, bullfrogs are considered invasive, and carry a fungal disease that can kill other amphibians, and can grow much larger than a green frog, and guess eat more too. They should burrow into mud under the water if they stay all season. In all honesty, hope you had a green frog.
 
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Just make sure there is some way for the frog to get out. I have raised ponds, nothing on the bottom. Every spring I find dead frogs in the ponds.
Are you sure they aren't dying from the not being deep enough vs. not getting out?
 
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Take a pic if it's still around. Also, Green Frogs look just like bull frogs with minor differences, namely being a dorsolateral ridge, and will gladly populate your pond, especially if the water is OK. If their tympanum (ear drum) is same size as their eyes, it's a female (both species). If it's noticeably larger than their eyes, it's a male (both species). Both species have different, distinct calls though, making it easy to distinguish w/o actually seeing it. If you remember hearing it's call or if it's still around, watch a couple videos of each call for verification. Green frogs have various calls, but usually those videos are playing what you'll hear most often. Their eggs appear to be similar too.

From what I've seen around my pond (probably have 15+ green frogs, not including 25+ of their tadpoles just growing rear legs now) is the male (green frog in my case) will pick a spot and claim it. He'll eventually call out periodically. If challenged, it'll give a warning call. Eventually, females will come in to the area, or are already there, and have the ability to respond to the calls; I have 1 large female that's been lured in by the males and seems to hang around now (or will leave and return) and has laid eggs twice now (few days ago and earlier in the year). Guessing she's 3-5 years old. She'll go to the spot where he called from, then lay her eggs. Eggs "unfold" in about 3 days and they'll cling to nearby surfaces until larger. Have a bunch of smaller females and had a large male around, but he's either left, been eaten, or died somehow.

Anyhow, bullfrogs are considered invasive, and carry a fungal disease that can kill other amphibians, and can grow much larger than a green frog, and guess eat more too. They should burrow into mud under the water if they stay all season. In all honesty, hope you had a green frog.
I finally got a pic. of the frog this morning. I now see 2 of them in the pond . The other is much larger. American Bullfrog ???
 

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Yep, as BKH says, you have green frogs! Congrats!
Your pic shows a female. Green frogs are what I have.
 
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That's a green frog, not a bullfrog. See the ridges running down either side of its back? Bullfrogs don't have those.

That's a green frog, not a bullfrog. See the ridges running down either side of its back? Bullfrogs don't have those.
Thank you very much for your response. I have a lot of Lotus plants in floating planters. Hopefully they will find the right one for the winter and I may see them around next year. . Will keep you posted. Tkx.
 
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aww, but that sounds so harsh, @Lisak1 ! Can't we see our way to providing a lil scarf and mittens? Maybe some hot chocolate for when it's really cold? Some thermal boots?

:p
Thinking someone needs a body wrap as in straight jacket.
 

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