Industrial Waste in the Frog Pond

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Will the Frogs Survive?

Are Vernal Pools in remote rural areas of Vermont being destroyed by industrial waste? Come on a walk in the early spring. Walk through the cold wet mud and try not to slip on the remaining spots of ice as we go on a hunt for frog eggs and discover a very scary substance.

Come on a search for frog eggs. Get caught up in the suspense. What is happening to the pond?


Photo Credit: Frog
On Flickr, Creative Commons

Industrial Waste in the Frog Pond

A Frog Pond Story

Frog Bubbles
Thank you Kate for allowing me to show your beautiful artwork and inspire children to learn about frogs through drawing and observation.

Photo Credit: Frog Bubbles
used by permission from Kate O.



One day we were out looking for Frog Eggs in the early Vermont spring. We took a long walk in the woods and came to vernal pool but found a very strange sight. At the far end of the pond, with deep mud all around was a large mass of white foamy looking stuff.

We looked in the water close to the shore but there were no frog eggs to be seen. All we could think of was some sort of industrial waste.

What could it be? We discussed it for quite a while. Were there any industrial plants nearby? What could be the source of the pollution?

We scanned the area. There were trees, dead leaves on the ground. The pool was nearly black except for this mound of fluffy, dirty looking foam piled up on the further side of the pond.

We listened and noticed that we were far enough from the road that we couldn't hear any traffic let alone trucks or factory sounds.

We wondered how far they must have piped this waste and wondered how toxic it was. There was no sign of frog eggs let alone tadpoles.

We then decided that we needed to make our way around the pond to see for ourselves what this waste looked like and maybe determine what it was made of.

It was difficult to get there but burning with curiosity we finally made it over to the stuff...

Look for the answer towards the bottom of this lens.
Frog Bubbles by Katie-O
Art - community of artists and those devoted to art. Digital art, skin art, themes, wallpaper art, traditional art, photography, poetry / prose. Art prints.

Industrial Waste in the Frog Pond Continued

Spotted Salamander in a Vernal Pool with Eggs, Ambystoma Maculatum, . Northeastern USA
Spotted Salamander in a Vernal Pool with Eggs, Ambystoma Maculatum, . Northeastern USA
Verderber, Gustav...
Available at AllPosters.com



We were still puzzling about the strange foamy looking, slightly dirty, yellowish mound in the frog pond.

Could there have been a large house or B&B just over the hill doing large loads of laundry? Was this the reason why we didn't see any frog eggs?

The mud was thick. Were the frogs still hibernating down in the bottom of the pond or had this pond been so polluted that frogs could no longer live there?

Keep reading to discover the mystery substance.

Frogs and Vernal Pools

What are Vernal Pools?

Frog Heaven: Ecology of a Vernal Pool



Learn more about frogs and vernal pools by reading these excellent reference books.
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Industrial Waste in the Frog Pond Conclusion

Frog Pond

Well, it took determination to get there but we finally made it and you know what it was?

It was snow and ice that had started to melt. Leaves and other debris had leached their colors and given it an industrial waste look.

What a laugh we had that day! We never did find any frog eggs. Just too early in the spring I guess.

Photo Credit: A black pond, Dering Wood
by Robin Webster
on Geograph, Creative Commons

Frog Unit Study

All about frogs

The reason we were looking for frog eggs that day was because we were beginning a unit study about frogs. Here are some of the articles I have written with hundreds of frog related ideas, activities, games, songs and factual information about frogs: Hop over to these other articles when you are ready to teach about frogs.
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How long did it take for you to realize what was in the frog pond?

Pair of Frogs I

Pair of Frogs I
Wood, J. W.
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Meet the Author of Industrial Waste in the Frog Pond

A Frog Pond Tale

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