Nope, frogs don't turn to stone in the winter.
Water Garden & Features Q & A
Q: What happens to my frogs in the winter? – Sue in Michigan
A: They ribbit and hop in your pond all spring, summer and fall, but when the cold weather comes, your frogs seem to disappear. Don’t worry – they don’t croak! They simply take a long winter nap.
There are more than 5,000 described species of frogs living on just about every surface of the planet. From the frigid Arctic Circle to the hottest deserts and everywhere in between – including your back yard. These welcome additions to any pond have evolved a well-known strategy to survive environmental extremes: They hibernate. Frogs that live in temperate climates with cold winters, like those throughout much of the United States, enter into a dormant state of sleep while living off their body fat reserves.
Aquatic frogs, like the leopard frog and the American bull frog, typically hibernate underwater. Because their skin can absorb oxygen, they lie just below the surface among aquatic plants where they’ll be safe from predators and frosty temperatures. An aeration system will add oxygen to your pond and create a hospitable habitat for your amphibian friends – and your finned friends, too.
Terrestrial frogs, like American toads, will hibernate on land. The ones that can dig will create a comfortable burrow beneath the frost line and sleep all winter; the ones that can’t dig will find safe hiding places, like hollowed-out logs, between rocks or beneath a pile of leaves, to protect them from weather and predators. Incredibly, these frogs won’t freeze to death; though they may partially freeze in very cold climates, a high concentration of glucose in their organs prevents them from freezing completely. When spring comes, the frozen portions thaw and they’re ready to get back to eating and reproducing.
Frogs are just one of dozens of critters that are drawn to water features. By providing a habitat with food, water and shelter, you can draw wildlife to your pond – which will enhance your enjoyment of it even more.
POND TALK: Do you have frogs in your decorative pond?
Filed under: Aeration - WG, Water Gardens & Features Tagged: | Frogs
Thank you for the answer to my question of where do the frogs go in the winter. I hope I didn’t squish them today while raking leaves out of the water. Very nice informative newsletter, will delve into is as soon as it is too cold to be outside. The frogs do add enjoyment to the water scene.
Thanks for submitting your question, Lynda! We recently received the same question from several people, so we knew it was time to post an article about it.
Thanks for information about frogs; have had them get into the filtration system via the skimmer, plugging the pipes going to falls, thus shutting them down, etc., I immediately shut off power and call my dandy pond guy who comes, sometimes in frigid weather, and removes the deceased. We don’t see a way to keep them from occasionally getting down under the filter, so if you have a suggestion, would be appreciated. I love my frogs!
Thanks for addressing our smaller ponds too.
I also loved my frogs until the morning I thought I had a frog with a bright orange tongue. Upon closed inspection, I realized that my frog was in the process of eating a koi of about 5 inches! My frogs are now relocated to a nice swamp about 2 miles away. Now I just need to figure out how to catch my garter snake!
Hi Martha,
A snake can eat the fish in your pond — if the fish are small enough for the snake to handle. It may stay for awhile and decide to move on. You could try to catch the snake with a net and release in an area away from your pond and out of your yard. If it is a Garter snake, they are not harmful to people. Use of pond netting with smaller holes would be a deterrent for snakes getting into your pond.
I am concerned about putting a net on the pond to catch the falling leaves which blocks the frogs from still getting out of the pond before it cold enough for them to go dormant for the winter. The water is still quite warm but the ponds needs a net to keep the leaves out. Any suggestions? ML
Instead of a purchased net/screen, my husband rigged PVC pipes and old window screens so that he has a “shelter” of screening that covers 3 sides and the top of the pond…much like a beach shelter which does an excellent job of keeping the majority of the leaves out of the pond . The one remaining end is open (and the height of the screen width) to enable me to feed the fish until the water temp. drops. It is wide and long enough that the frogs can get out anywhere around the pond and also out of the enclosure since it’s only 3-sided. We have two ponds in our front yard and “Sumo” travels back and forth between them depending on his mood. He/she has been with us 4 years (made it through 3 winters so far) but all other frogs which have been smaller and tried to winter over have perished. The ponds are just barely 18″ deep and the next one will definitely be deeper so we don’t have to worry about frogs surviving. I put a 1′ square x 4″ deep box of dirt in the bottom of the pond but I honestly don’t know if the frog uses it or just goes in one of the cement block holes. I was interested to see that they stay just below the surface. I was sure I read somewhere that they went to the bottom of a pond.
Hi dot hope u stil have frogs. I hv a pnd about 18 in. deep & a frog moved in. Looks alot like a marsh frog but alot more brown on top, cannot seem to find a pict. or info, hoping you can enlighten me. the info i did find on mrsh frogs is similar ,they burrow in dirt & hibernate. think a box of dirt at the bottom of pond will work? if so when, and do i leve any water in pond, do i cover the pond with plywood or screen? my frog has left 4 3 2 4 days twice now, but today he’s back.Need info. PLEASE HELP!!!!
For the person having frogs get into her filter…is there any way she can put a large-holed screening material across the opening. It would allow the water to flow in but not frogs or fish.
Do you have a reputable company who works with your products in this area. I need to make some changes to both my yard pond and field pond. Thanks. B
Area is Sedalia, Colorado
thank you for awnsering my questions
Hey Dot . Forgot will u notify me on my e-mail please??!!!!!!! jenniferhoekstrajuiceplus@gmail.com . THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!