FAQs about spawn and tadpoles: protecting from frost

Toad spawn is more protected from cold weather (Jules Howard)

WILDLIFE INFORMATION SERVICE

Frequently Asked Questions about... spawn and tadpoles:

There is spawn in the pond but icy weather is due, should I protect it from frost?

Spawn can be affected by cold weather. If a layer of ice forms over the surface of the spawn it may die, though the eggs at the bottom of the clump may survive. Sometimes icy weather can interrupt spawning, in which case a second batch of frogspawn may turn up in your pond once the cold weather subsides. Newt eggs and toad spawn tend to be more protected from frosts as they are laid slightly later in the year and deeper underwater.

Some people choose to take measures to protect spawn from icy weather, by using a pond cover or by removing some of the spawn and keeping it somewhere slightly more protected (in a bucket of pond water in the shed, for instance) until the cold weather has passed.

More information:

What's the best pond design for amphibians? >>>

How can I protect the creatures living in my pond if it freezes? >>>