The frog population has been severely affected by environmental changes and their habitat has been extensively polluted or exploited by humans. These amphibians are not only indispensable for ensuring the health of ecosystems, but they keep pest populations in check, as they eat insects such as mosquitoes, grasshoppers, moths, caterpillars, beetles, cockroaches, slugs, slugs and flies. Help protect the local frog population while improving the garden and creating a safe and attractive space for these animals; all you need to do is provide them with shelter, food, moisture and a place to breed.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Provide Frogs with the Essentials to Live
Step 1. Provide a shallow, still water source
Frogs drink and breathe through their skin, which must be constantly moist to allow their body to carry out normal physiological activities; consequently, the essential element to attract them is an accessible body of water that is sheltered from direct sunlight.
- If you don't have a pond or similar feature built into your garden, just place a few wide, shallow water-filled dishes in a shady area of your property; be sure to clean the containers and change the water every week to prevent it from stagnating.
- You can also try burying a small plastic pool to create a makeshift pond.
- Frogs lay their eggs in the water; theoretically, the pond should be large enough to accommodate both adult and young specimens.
Step 2. Offer the frogs a humid, shady refuge
Frogs are usually more active during the night because exposure to sunlight can dehydrate them. Make a simple shelter that gives them a safe, cave-like space to rest in peace during the day; make sure it is away from sunlight and predators.
You can use a simple ceramic vase turned upside down and raised a little with some pebbles. Place it in a spot near the water and make sure there is enough space between the edge and the ground for the animals to enter and exit without difficulty
Step 3. Grow plants that attract insects
If you want frogs to settle in your garden or backyard, you need to provide them with the right food. The best way to do this is to grow an array of seasonal flowering plants which in turn attract insects all year round.
Try to have species that bloom in spring, summer and autumn; in doing so, the nectar-eating insects will flutter around the garden
Step 4. Keep a compost pile and mulch the flower beds
Insects that are prey to frogs are attracted to these materials; in addition, compost and mulch create a humid habitat that amphibians love to live in.
Do not remove the leaves from certain areas of the garden as they are a perfect shelter for frogs and some of their prey prefer to live among the plant material
Method 2 of 4: Building a Pond
Step 1. Choose a good site
It should be a partially shaded corner of your property. Ponds need some direct sunlight to become a healthy environment; however, amphibians prefer a shady habitat to reproduce and shelter from the sun's rays.
Step 2. Dig a shallow hole
The frog pond can be as wide as you like, but no deeper than 30 cm; make sure the levees are not too steep or deep, so that the animals can get in and out of the water without difficulty. Remove any roots, branches or stones that can damage the bottom coating.
- Frogs thrive in still, shallow waters and, surprisingly, can drown in deep ponds.
- If you haven't taken steps to create a gentle slope along the edges of the pond, provide some kind of ramp; these animals need a little steep path, like a flat stone, to get out of the water easily.
- If you want the body of water to have a precise shape, define the perimeter with a rope before starting the excavation.
- If you are digging in the lawn, keep the sod to stabilize the pond shore.
Step 3. Cover the hole
To prevent water from being absorbed by the earth, you need to lay an insulating layer of rubber or plastic and, to protect the latter in the long term, you should insert padding under it.
- The easiest way to proceed is to purchase an insulating sheet (flexible or rigid) for ponds or pools, but any similar thick and sturdy product will do.
- Make sure the liner is large enough to cover the entire surface of the pond and another 60cm along the entire perimeter.
- Pond can also be lined with concrete, but you need to treat it so that the lime does not dissolve in water.
Step 4. Stabilize the shore of the pond
Ballast the plastic sheet along the edges with stones arranged close to each other and / or with a ring of clods that you have saved from the excavation; in any case, make sure the embankments are covered with something heavy to hold the insulating sheet in place.
Once the perimeter is secured, then cut off the excess insulation coating
Step 5. Fill the pond with water
Theoretically, you should let that rain accumulate in the hole instead of using tap water or garden hose; you can speed up the process by collecting the rain in several buckets and then pouring it into the pond.
Step 6. Add a bucket of water from a natural pond
If you get some water from a marsh in the area, you will introduce millions of microorganisms that can start the ecosystem of the artificial one; they will enrich the pond with oxygen making it more liveable and pleasant for the native frogs in your area.
You can also insert some local aquatic plants to attract amphibians, but take care that the vegetation does not take over, preventing the life of the wildlife
Step 7. Provide shelter
At least one side of the pond must be rich in vegetation and lush foliage native to the area. Plant herbaceous and evergreen plants along the water's edge to provide shade, moisture, and protection for frogs.
If you are looking to attract local species, you need to limit yourself to native plants only; opt for a selection of local herbs, bushy plants (such as ferns and lilies) and those that grow to carpet, such as vines and shrubs
Step 8. Wait for the frogs to colonize the garden
Remember that it may take a couple of years for amphibians to populate the pond, even if you have created a favorable environment.
If this stage is longer than you would like, try introducing tadpoles during the spring, but make sure they are native to the area
Method 3 of 4: Eliminate Risks for Frog Colony
Step 1. Don't use chemicals
Frogs are particularly susceptible to poisoning from pesticides, herbicides, artificial fertilizers, and other common garden chemicals because they hydrate and breathe through porous skin. If you want to attract a healthy population of amphibians, start caring for the area organically.
- Instead of using commercial fertilizers, encourage plant growth by choosing nutrient-rich soils suitable for each plant species, rotate crops to avoid depleting the soil and use only organic fertilizer when needed.
- Remember that once you attract frogs, you shouldn't need any chemical pesticides, as these animals eat more than 10,000 insects in one season.
Step 2. Drive away invasive species
Your goal is to attract the right kind of frogs; non-native ones compete with local ones for food and shelter, in some cases even eating them. In addition, they are typically difficult to keep in check because they do not have natural predators.
- Recognize the species on the property to make sure they are not invasive; you can search online and view images to use as a reference.
- If you find specimens that are dangerous for the local habitat, contact the local ASL or the environmental affairs office of your municipality for advice and organize a safe recovery.
Step 3. Keep lawn grass short
Frogs love to hide in tall grass and are often victims of lawnmowers; make sure you can see any isolated amphibians in your path, keeping your lawn and garden well-tended.
Step 4. Thaw the water as needed
Most males hibernate during the cold months. A thin layer of ice should not cause them any problems, however if the pond is completely frozen, the animals will not survive. Protect all dormant amphibians by placing a pan of very hot water on top of the thickened layer of ice.
Step 5. Avoid plants that are toxic to frogs
Many flowers and plants are poisonous to these animals, which you must protect by avoiding cultivating these species or by planting them in a part of the garden that is far away from the pond.
- Dangerous vegetables are: eggplant, rhubarb, potatoes and snow peas.
- Toxic flowers are: madreselva, azalea, hydrangea, narcissus and hyacinth.
Method 4 of 4: Attracting Tree Frogs
Step 1. Keep an external light on during the night
These frogs love to eat moths and insects that are attracted to light sources. Keep a lamp lit in the garden for part or all of the night to create an irresistible "restaurant" for amphibians.
Step 2. Don't cut the trees
To provide frogs with a natural habitat, avoid pruning bushes and tree branches that are near water or food sources; the luxuriant vegetation provides them with shelter and also a good hunting ground.
Step 3. Make a raised shelter for tree frogs
These amphibians don't settle at ground level, so you need to give them a somewhat elevated alternative home. Take a 1.5m long segment of PVC pipe, plant it in the ground so that about half of it is exposed.
- Place the tube about 30 cm from the base of a tree which is also near the pond.
- Water may collect at the bottom of the conduit but should be absorbed by the earth before it becomes dangerously deep.
- PVC pipes are available in every hardware store.
Step 4. Hang shelters on the tree
Cut a normal PVC pipe into segments about 60 cm long; put a cap on the lower end of the segment and drill a hole about 8-10 cm from it, so that the water can accumulate a little, but also drain when it is in excess.
- Make two more holes in the top of one side of each tube; pass a sturdy fishing line and hang the shelter on the tree.
- If possible, choose a plant near a water source, as frogs are more likely to congregate in this area.
- Hang the pipes at a height that you can easily reach; remove the caps at least once a month to prevent water from stagnating on the bottom.
Advice
- Science teachers often find themselves at the end of the school year with extra tadpoles to find a home for; you can ask them to give them to you.
- Frogs hibernate during the winter; don't worry if you see them sleeping at the bottom of the pond during the cold months, this is completely normal behavior.
Warnings
- The nylon net used to protect the plants in the garden should be at least 4 cm large and tightly stretched, otherwise the frogs could become trapped and die.
- Do not put a fountain in the pond; eggs and tadpoles may get trapped in the pump.
- Fish eat frog eggs and compete with adult specimens for food; do not put them in the pond where you want to attract amphibians.
- Never forcibly transfer frogs from their natural habitat to your garden; it is very likely that they will not survive and could spread diseases that are dangerous to the local fauna.
