Felix says...

It’s also sitting on its tadpole spawn as well Felix!  It’s a great picture but sad that nature has to deal with all our plastic rubbish, even a plant has taken advantage of a hole in the black plastic. I think it is probably best to leave it all alone and tell your Aunt that she should feel privileged to have all those tadpoles in her pond!  Please also ask her to make sure there is always enough water for the tadpoles to thrive and grow into little froglets?  Let’s hope you’ll see them at your next visit?

Field Maple

What a beautiful photo Felix! You have ‘caught’ a most wonderful ice sculpture just sitting there waiting for you to notice it. I’m so pleased that now you are a teenager you and your aunt are very curious still about how nature works and your research is exactly the right thing to do. I think the spiders have become confused to still be making webs in December and you are right, they should be hibernating somewhere dry.  I’m looking forward to seeing what you discover as the seasons change!

Field Maple

Well Felix, this is interesting, what is doing what?  And if this is Burdock it can get very tall and is seen as an invasive plant by farmers. It’s not native to the UK. The roots of the Burdock are edible and the plant itself can be used for medicine.  I’m not sure about the ‘black blobs’, they could be ladybird larvae hatching.  I don’t actually see any aphids?  Burdock is a tough old plant and is not attractive to insects.  The ant is definitely after something and the ladybird is beautiful!! Send another picture as it grows – we may be able to work out a lot more by then?  It’s another super picture with such a lot going on.  You’re the one to work it out!!

Field Maple

Thanks for sending the picture of your auntie’s pond Felix.  Always difficult to know what to do about duck weed – if only a duck would come to eat it?  Unlikely in your aunt’s urban garden though! I’d say your aunt is right to let the vegetation continue to grow.  The difficulty we have as humans is though, we can’t see what is going on in the water.  Just as well because wild life needs places to hide, yes, away from us!  Good for your aunt to put an old washing up bowl into the ground t o provide water for passing creatures and also, maybe, a home to a frog?

Field Maple

It is big isn’t it, Felix? We might think it to be a toad but you know what? Toads only go to water to mate and spawn!  Toads seem much bigger than frogs because they are quite flabby and don’t jump about like frogs do. Perhaps this frog needs to go to the gym?  The real issue is that this lovely frog is shining whereas a toad is usually dull and camouflaged which is why we don’t often see them.  For your interest Felix, I found a toad in a hollow log, in the garden, which I happened to pick up to move it and yes – there was a toad in the hole looking at me with a very wide grin because it knew I couldn’t (and didn’t want) to get it!

Field Maple

Always good Felix to take time to stand and stare at what is incredibly artistic in its evident symmetry as well as its individuality. How about studying the methods that spiders use to build their cobwebs? The best way would be to see one actually making their web? Where do they put their anchor points?

Field Maple

Oh yes Felix, you certainly have become a froggy friend.  They know, you know, who to trust and who won’t attack them. It is probably why the story of kissing the frog transforms them into a human prince – or princess? What do you think?

Field Maple

Well done Felix to see the tadpoles' gills!  Yes, you let me know what happens to them when they change into frogs?  It's really good that you have used the same water from the pond, with its vegetation.  They are happily eating the algae on the side of the bowl.  Good  thinking Felix!  And don't forget to return the froglets back to your aunt's pond!  Frogs need to stay in their home-born vicinities!

Field Maple

Oh yes Felix, always hard to take a photo of a wriggling tadpole, but you got these really well. They’ve certainly lost their gills and are robust and healthy. I’m looking forward to seeing what they look like when they get those legs!  You tell me what the frogs eat and what are the tadpoles eating?  The clue is why are their noses so close to the bottom and look like they are scouring it? The 'green stuff' is duckweed!!

Field Maple