Woodland Trust

Nature's CalendarNature Detectives

Is spring late where you live? Take a walk in the woods and see what you can find to record

Tadpole. Margaret Bartonfrog tadpoles

Rana temporaria
 
After about 21 days as spawn, the embryonic frog leaves its protective jelly as a tadpole, complete with organs, gills and a long tail.
 
Frog and toad tadpoles are very difficult to tell apart so please only record frog tadpoles where you have already recorded frog spawn.
 
Spawn is easy to tell apart- frog spawn is a mass of eggs; toad spawn is a string of eggs.

Where found

Ponds, ditches and slow moving streams.

When to look forrecord

  • From the end of March in sheltered spots
     
  • They develop into fully-fledged frogs in about 11 weeks