Tadpoles

[MrsLadyBug]

My son kept a few tadpoles last year to show his son how they develop.
they were released when they got heir legs and were fully developed.
Today now while tidying up in yard he noticed a large tadpole still in the water where he had kept the others.
It has its back legs and is quite big.
Is this a survivor from the last lot that may have survived.
Do they hibernate usually.
He is just curious about thew whole thing
Anybody any theories about this?

[gness]

It appears, Mrs LB that some tadpoles wait to turn into frogs until the following year.
It was thought seasonal conditions drove this but now it's thought that it's because they can grow bigger and become frogs earlier in the next season which gives them an advantage over the new season's tadpoles.
I will try to add a link...that often goes doolally..... :-)

https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2015/tadpolesurvival-261015

[MrsLadyBug]

Thanks for that.
Will pass the info onto him.
It sound like he is planning to be leader of the pack this year!

[gness]

I now have an image of a huge, butch tadpole striding around your son's garden!... :-)

[MrsLadyBug]

LOL
He is not striding just yet.
They are observing him to see how he develops.
Not seen him myself but I too have a scary vision in my head!

[gness]

When we kept tadpoles in the tanks at school for the children to observe we would hang raw liver on strings for them to eat...the tadpoles not the children......your son could try that and produce one hell of a tadpole!

[Chipchopper]

What type of frogs have you got ?.
Bullfrogs can take up to 3 years for example.

[Tilly2]

If it's a bullfrog tadpole your son needs to get rid of it as it's an invasive species.

[MrsLadyBug]

Have no idea what type, as far as I know it's just the usual ones that come around every year.
Not sure what are the usual ones here in Co Limerick but we get a lot in certain areas due to the boggy lands.

Will tell him about the liver. Can't see him doing it though as it's something neither he or his wife will have anything to do with.

[rowanwitch]

It will probably be a cannibal and eat smaller tadpoles.... Just saying ......could be a good exercise in the way of nature