European Tree Frogs: |
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Herpetologic Member Joined: 02 Sep 2003 No. of posts: 35 View other posts by Herpetologic |
Posted: 04 Nov 2003 How many European Tree Frog colonies are there in the UK? I know of a colony in Basildon where the tree frogs have been kept in a garden and have escaped reaching up to a mile or so away from the garden. I also know that there maybe garden populations of Tree Frogs in the New Forest which came from the Basildon colony. I believe that 30 individuals have been transported to the New Forest. Jon |
Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 16 Dec 2006 Sorry to dig up an old topic, but out of interest, I was talking to a friend of mine the other day that insists that there is a colony of H.Arborea at a certain Weymouth lake...Anybody else heard this rumour?, first I'd heard of it. I suggested he's getting mixed up with the now defunct Hampshire colony, but he's certain he's got his facts straight. Perhaps Dave B will know more?. Cheers, Alex. |
armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 16 Dec 2006 If you are talking about the RSPB lake then it is not so, cos I heard this story from another. However, I spent a lot of time there over a couple of years and zip zero with regard to Hylas. 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 16 Dec 2006 Thanks Tony, I find it interesting that you've also heard this story. I will have to quiz my friend more and make sure it is the RSPB lake. Cheers, Alex. |
herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 18 Dec 2006
I know that there is still a Tree Frog colony in the New Forest - I am not sure if it is free living rather in out door enclosures - I also know that the new population originated from Turkey - they came to the UK about 40 years ago! Jon Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
Caleb Forum Coordinator Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 448 View other posts by Caleb |
Posted: 18 Dec 2006 Charles Snell (who posts here on occasion) wrote an article for British Wildlife on H. arborea in the UK ('Status of the Common Tree Frog in Britain', British Wildlife, Feb 2006, 153-160). He reckons the New Forest colony has been extinct since the late 80s, but suggests that there's a chance they might have been native- apparently he was unable to find any records of introductions. The New Forest Reptiliary used to keep tree frogs, don't know if they were from the same stock as the 'wild' colony. |
herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 18 Dec 2006
Well I know that a colony of Turkish Tree Frogs have made their way down to the New Forest with the help of humans of course - these frogs were sourced from a colony in Essex - where the noisy frogs were collected and taken to the New Forest - so there may still be a colony down there....
Jon Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 21 Dec 2006 The old colony of Tree frogs in the New Forest near Beaulieu was definitely Hyla arborea as I saw and heard them several times. There have certainly been numerous reports of single calling males all over the forest over the last 20 years away from any houses but as far as I know no breeding colonies. On most visit I made to the Beaulieu site I found local children with small nets "pond dipping" and when questioned had known of other children who had taken specimens that they had caught to school and then put them in their garden. I do not know how the Turkish Hyla were obtained but many of the imports I saw from Turkey were Hyla savignyi which do not have the stripe like H.arboreaand often blotched. I found they were also much easier to breed in captivity indoors than H.arborea There was information about a person who was supposed to have introduced the tree frogs near Beaulieu who lived further down the hill and used to pay the local children to catch the ones that migrated to the pond up the hill and at the edge of the heath back to his more shady garden. I was told this by a chap who was one of the children in the early 1900's. I have not heard anything about Tree frogs in Weymouth but will make enquiries. David British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 03 Jan 2007 [QUOTE=David Bird]The old colony of Tree frogs in the New Forest near Beaulieu was definitely Hyla arborea as I saw and heard them several times. There have certainly been numerous reports of single calling males all over the forest over the last 20 years away from any houses but as far as I know no breeding colonies. On most visit I made to the Beaulieu site I found local children with small nets "pond dipping" and when questioned had known of other children who had taken specimens that they had caught to school and then put them in their garden. Sorry to off topic... Hi Dave, could you delete a message or something in your PM, have been trying to message you. Not seen you for ages old bean, happy new year, Alex Moss. P.s, Find out anything on the Weymouth 'Hyla'?. |
Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 03 Jan 2007 I'm surprised that any hyla arborea could survive in UK. From what i've seen when visiting Turkey these frogs love hot sunshine! O-> O+> |
herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 03 Jan 2007
Well a thriving colony collected from Turkey around 30 to 40 years ago are still doing well in a garden in South Essex - a very warm and dry part of the country. I will get a photo up here soon -
JC Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 04 Jan 2007 [QUOTE=Alan Hyde]I'm surprised that any hyla arborea could survive in UK. From what i've seen when visiting Turkey these frogs love hot sunshine! [/QUOTE] Hi Alan, I know this is not a 'keepers' forum, but nevertheless, thought you maybe interested to know that I keep a colony of around 10 Hyla Arborea outdoors (in a SECURE enclosure) year round. They were active till fairly late in the year. It was talking about this that I heard off a friend about the alleged Weymouth Hyla. They certainly do enjoy basking in the sunshine, and croaking in it (much to the neighbours amusement). Cheers, Alex. |
chas Member Joined: 30 Jan 2005 No. of posts: 27 View other posts by chas |
Posted: 06 Jan 2007 The issues surrounding the new Forest and I knew of one in Hyla arborea colony in a garden in The There were unconvincing rumours that the introduction of this older colony was via Mr Turner Turner who, it was rumored, brought them back from his travels in I wrote at some length, with illustrations, on the tree frog in Finally, the earliest records of the species in Britain start with Sir Thomas Browne in 1646 who wrote of them (when discussing frogs in Britain) being ôa little frog of an excellent Parrat green, that usually sits on Trees and Bushesö and later in that same century Dr Christopher Merrett (1667) lists them as part of British fauna. It is not inconceivable, therefore, that this hardy species was once part of our fauna. Hyla arborea is a very hardy amphibian and can survive being frozen solid. This ability allows it to live as far north as southern Charles Snell |
herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 06 Jan 2007
Hi Charles I also knew the owner and I am sure that he told me he colelcted them from Turkey - but I may be mistaken if you know otherwise. The owner also said that he had collected around 30 frogs from his garden as they were getting too noisy. He stated that he had taken them to Martin Noble in the New Forest - so at least these animals may be living in his collection in the New Forest. The frogs often escaped from the green houses they were living in and were frequently returned by disgruntled neighbours who couldnt cope with the noise during the summer all of this was conveyed to be by the owner before he passed away. I know a few people in Essex that are helping with the owner's widow in keeping the garden going and also helping with the animals. JC Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
chas Member Joined: 30 Jan 2005 No. of posts: 27 View other posts by chas |
Posted: 06 Jan 2007 Thanks for that, Jon. We do seem to be talking about the same colony of tree frogs in Charles Snell |
Luckygenes Member Joined: 07 Jan 2011 No. of posts: 1 View other posts by Luckygenes |
Posted: 08 Jan 2011 Unfortunately as a young kid, I caught a couple of tree frogs from the pond at Hill top near Beaulieu. I only kept them for a few days as they were so noisy, my parents made me release them. This would have been in the mid to late 60's. At the time we were told by locals that the colony had been introduced by someone returning from France after the war, I'm assuming 1st world war. The last time I saw a tree frog at Hill top was around 1978, I can be certain of the date as I took a photo of one of the frogs with a college camera, I was at Art College untill the summer of 78. I still have a print somewhere, when I find it, I'll post it on here. As far as I can recall the frogs had a black eye stripe. |
- European Tree Frogs |