My garden pond frogs have been exceptionally late spawning this year, due no doubt to the rather cool spring.

Back in mid-February the amphibians paired off and once bonded, males remain tenaciously coupled for days, or in the case of this year several weeks.

First spawning took place in mid-March but more was still being laid in the first week of April. Once spawning is finally completed the exhausted frogs leave the water to feed up on worms and invertebrates wandering some distance if need be.

However, in very dry spells they will return to the pond and in late spring, sit on lily pads  picking off paired damselflies hovering above the surface laying eggs into water plants.

So at present, I have both fresh spawn and tadpoles at varying stages of development. It is quite possible that late developing tadpoles may not finally become froglets until late summer or in exceptional circumstances even next spring.

I always take out most spawn and place it in old basins or similar as to leave it in the pond invites major predation from newts that even nose into the spawn to extract embryos within. When hopefully large enough to fend for themselves I return tadpoles to the pond.

Last year I caught and relocated as many newts as I could catch but no doubt missed some.

Unlike frogs, newts don't make any physical contact when mating. Instead, males parade in front of interested females, vigorously fanning their great tails to waft pheromones towards prospective mates and if accepted, drop a sperm package which females move over and absorb into their bodies.