Can I move frogspawn to my pond?

Do not move frogspawn from another pond into yours. Froglife advises letting ponds colonise naturally because moving spawn, animals or pond water can spread amphibian disease and invasive plants.

A new pond can take time to be found. Froglife says common amphibians should reach good-quality ponds in many parts of the UK, but routes can be blocked and local populations vary. Improve the route rather than importing animals: keep a rough, planted margin, provide a gentle exit, avoid fish, and connect the pond to cover such as long grass, logs and shrubs.

Do not release spawn into a public water body. If urgent work is needed in the pond where spawn already lives, Froglife recommends holding it temporarily in that pond's water and returning it after the work. That is different from carrying it to a new pond.

Patience is part of wildlife pond care. A pond can still support insects, birds and other animals even if frogs do not breed in its first season.

Help frogs find it naturally

Keep the pond edge reachable from ground level and avoid an unbroken raised rim. Add dense, low planting nearby, but keep at least one open approach and a clear exit from the water. Leave a little cover through winter rather than cutting every stem and clearing every log. Do not add water, mud or plants taken from another pond as a shortcut. Check bought plants for hitch-hiking fragments, and use rainwater where possible so the new pond starts without an unnecessary nutrient load.

Let insects and plants establish while you wait for amphibians.

Sources

• Froglife: spawn and tadpoles in my garden — accessed 14 November 2026.

More from Pond Setup Guide

Read how to build a wildlife pond and escape routes for pond wildlife. Wildlife ramp is defined in the pond glossary.