I don't know if "hatching" is the correct terminology for toadlet's emerging from the strings of toad eggs. I'm thinking that if they are eggs and if toadlet's come out of them they had to hatch. In any case, I was looking at some of the eggs that were laid on June 10... that was my post about "8 legged toads". The eggs have changed from round "beads" on a string to small oblong shapes and still attached to the string. I noted that some of the "eggs" are moving and I'm sure I could detect a tail wiggling. If you recall the first batch of eggs took 5 days from when they were laid until the toadlets were free swimming. I expect to see a plethora of toadlets on Monday and will consider the toadlets "hatched" when they can swim free.
I was looking around the Internet and reading about toads. I found a new term for toadlets that I thought was pretty neat... toadpoles. I like it. It belongs to Robyn who hosts http://www.fishpondinfo.com/. So thank you Robyn... cool name.
I've been researching what may happen to all the toadpoles that are here and on the way. I've read conflicting things about toadpoles eating each other. Some articles indicate the toadlets will eat only algae and detris. Other articles say they will eat their brothers and sisters. Yet other articles say they will die if there are too many in the pond because they will run out of algae. So many conflicting stories...
I must say these little algae eaters have made a difference in my pond by reducing the algae. They don't seem to like the string algae very well but even that has been reduced significantly. I don't know if all this can be attributed to the toadpoles but there is no doubt in my mind that the pond is nicer looking since they hatched.
The last two nights have been silent. None of the Woody's have screeched and once again I'm tempted to tell you they have left. I don't think I'll go on record as saying they have left the pond but I will listen for them and report back what I hear or don't hear.
1 comment:
Jim -
Tadpoles are scavengers. Normally, they will only eat algea, pond scum and such. If a sibling becomes very sick (and cannot run away) or dies, then they will eat the body. Once they have started to convert, and the mouth has changed shape, then they will eat each other if oportunity provides. Years of research have gone into these observations (had a stream in our backyard as a kid - once had over 100 adult toads captured. Often we raised eggs to adults. Just cuz. What else do kids do?
The Rev. John
Post a Comment