Pollywogs!

Connie and I found a bunch of these critters in a temporary pond on our property after a heavy rain we had several days prior. Luckily we are getting more rain right now, so there is a good chance they will transform to whatever frog or toad they are from and then strike out into the countryside to eat bugs.

They're definitely toad tadpoles, I'm guessing southern toads. I've been finding thousands of them up here, along with some nearly metamorphed spring peeper tadpoles. The treefrog season should be swinging up into action soon too! Can't wait to hear the Cope's calling again!

I remember a while back that we were literally overrun with baby toads. It was extremely difficult to walk anywhere with stepping on some. Might turn out to be another year like that one.

BTW, do tadpoles feed on mosquito larvae?

Most tadpoles are omnivorous, so I wouldn't be surprised if they do. I imagine if they can catch it, they'll eat it. I've seen southern leopard frog, southern toad, and bullfrog tadpoles feeding on a greater siren carcass, for example. I think small fish are more effective at eating mosquito larvae. Mosquitofish (Gambusia spp.) are most commonly given credit for eating mosquito larvae, but they can also overrun an area.

The pond these tadpoles are in doesn't hand around long after the heavy rains stop. So anything wanting to live there will be living on borrowed time. Years ago we actually saw some real small shrimp there, so I guess anything is possible. For one thing the box turtles really love those temporary ponds. That's about the only time we see them.

Here's a pic the Connie took with her new camera of one of the box turtles..

With the really fast metamorphosis needed to deal with short-lived temporary pools, I would guess spadefoot toads might be involved. We have spadefoot toads, Southern toads, oak toads, and several varieties of tree frog here.

I use Gambusia on the property to assist with mosquito control. Unfortunately, it seems most of the mosquitoes here are coming from one of the neighbor's places judging by the number of frog calls I can hear from their direction.

Cool box turtle.

Frogs and toads choose these vernal pools because they're fish-free, or at least 'big tadpole eating' fish-free. My 2¢

There are actually some sort of predatory bugs in that pond. You can actually see some preying on the tadpoles if you look close enough. So it's not a completely safe harbor for them.

I have some of the mosquito dunks and pieces that I have used in the temporary pond, but I'm wondering if there will be any ill effects to the tadpoles. The packaging says it it harmless to other wildlife, but that's just "advertising" as far as I am concerned.

Originally Posted by WebSlave

There are actually some sort of predatory bugs in that pond. You can actually see some preying on the tadpoles if you look close enough. So it's not a completely safe harbor for them.

I have some of the mosquito dunks and pieces that I have used in the temporary pond, but I'm wondering if there will be any ill effects to the tadpoles. The packaging says it it harmless to other wildlife, but that's just "advertising" as far as I am concerned.

..never said safe, just safe from fish. I'm sure raccoons, birds and garter snakes are all over these pools. Seems hit or miss with those mosquito dunks, some people say they've been using them for years without a problem while others say it killed everything in their pond but the fish.

I walked down to that area today after taking a break working on my car. The pond is gone, and you would never had known a pond was ever there. No little toads that would have metamorphed from the tadpoles. No dead carcasses. Nada. Not a trace of the budding life that had been forming in that pond.