Tag: tadpole

Plants – Water Lettuce/Pistia

On By TimelessladyIn Plants3 Comments

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I have a pond filled with a late summer carpet of Water Lettuce. Water Lettuce, or Pistia, is an aquatic plant that can be grown in aquariums or in outdoor ponds through the summer. Water Lettuce was first discovered in Africa. The rosette-like leaves float on the surface of the water with the roots growing from the center of the plant.

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Water Lettuce outcompetes algae for nutrients and thus helps control excessive algae bloom.

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The mother plant is connected to her offspring by a stolon. The plants reproduce so quickly I have had to weed out half a dozen or more several times this summer. My plant came from the productive water lettuce plants in my sister’s pond.

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As I was surveying the water lettuce yesterday, wondering if it was time to weed out a half dozen again, I noticed a small frog. Grown from a tadpole we captured in a local lake this year, he quietly watched me, deciding if he needed to jump for safety. He stayed quite still as I took a few photographs, but when I brought the camera a bit too close, he jumped beneath the cover of the water lettuce leaves.

Peculiarities – Tiny Tadpoles/The Final Edition

On By TimelessladyIn Peculiarities3 Comments

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My tiny tadpoles are both a success and a sob story.

Success – The tadpoles have flourished in a small container being fed boiled romaine lettuce. They are quickly metamorphosizing into frogs or toads. I still have not figured out which species they will ultimately become.

Sob story – After a July 4th weekend camping trip, we arrived home to a small toad clinging onto the side of the rock. I was captivated by the small scrap of life. He had only a stump of tail left, and I knew he would soon have the ability to begin jumping. I resolved to place the container into the garden in a shaded place the next day. The next day arrived only to begin with the discovery of the body of the first toad to morph. I realized that on the screen porch he had begun to need insects to eat and there were few or none. I immediately placed the container outdoors in a sheltered spot and added more water, rocks and a piece of wood that reached the top of the container.

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Success – The rest of the tadpoles/frogs seem to be doing fine. I boiled up some more romaine for those who are still  in the in between stage of development and checked on the ones who are near total metamorphosis. Every tadpole seems to be doing well right now. Hopefully, in a few days I will have an empty container and be happy in the knowledge that the small toads/frogs are alive somewhere in my yard.

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Can  you see the almost developed frog/toad on the end of the wood, and the still developing tadpole on the rock?

Here’s a close-up of the frog/toad. My final thoughts on the adventure. I’m very glad I saved the tadpoles. When I first observed them in the puddles I also saw red-winged blackbirds plucking them out of the water as an easy meal. I knew that in their quickly evaporating puddle not many would survive.  I’m glad I saved a few. I feel bad about the one that didn’t make it, but have high hopes for all the others. Would I do it again? Oh yes!

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