If i introduce woodfrog tadpoles into my gardenpond, being located in a developed suburb, will they do well wandering around peoples yards, lawns, and gardens? they wont be in the woods - no woods around for 4 miles. will they return to breed? will green frogs that wander off return, likely?

I live in a more semi-rural area (that's being destroyed as time elapses) with woods so my wood frogs and green frogs do very well. I really can't say how well they'd do there. I don't think wood frogs will live without woods. They only come to water in the late winter to lay eggs and need to be in woods the rest of the time. Green frogs don't need woods. They will happily wander around. My frogs are always in flux with some coming in and some coming out. Since I can't tell them apart, I can only assume that some frogs have left and returned many times. Frogs that find a better home will be less likely to return. Those that are killed by cars, animals, etc. or don't make it soon enough to water on their travels will obviously not return.

Do you feel that many, if not most green frogs that wander away from my pond - which is the only garden pond for several blocks - the others are very small, will likely return - most of them?


1. Will green frogs that find no other viable water source return?

2. Will green frogs that find a smaller, much less adequate garden koi pond be more likely inclined to remain at their inferior, new source, or return instead?

Each frog is different! I have a tiny stinking "pond" with nothing in it but slop about 500 feet from my good ponds. This time of year, I find lots of newly morphed green frogs back there so they walked at least that far and thought it was nice (I guess because fewer predators). Who knows what the frogs think! Some, not finding a source of water, might just shrivel up. Others would happen to turn back to where they came from and return. The sound of moving water helps them find their way back. I don't know how great their sense of direction is. If you're concerned, you might fence the pond in. In direct answer to your questions:

1. Probably, if they're lucky and smart enough.
2. It depends on them. If they feel like there is more food, less competition, and fewer predators, they may stay. They tend to prefer fishless ponds and those with a lot of vegetation. A sterile koi pond without vegetation probably wouldn't hold their interest.