I was clearing out my compost bin and got a surprise. At first I thought it was a toy or plastic ornament that got thrown into the compost bin in error. I asked for a second opinion in determining whether the creature in the compost was fake or real. It looked fake to me but I was told, no, it is real.
Interestingly enough it looked so much like part the compost that it was difficult to tell the difference I was using a shovel and thought that if it was a living thing I would have already killed it accidentally and maybe I did since there was no sign of life coming from it.
Finally, I decided to poke it and it moved ever so slightly. It was our resident frog that has been overwintering in, and residing, in our garden for several years now. I had no idea the compost bin was it’s choice to hibernate but it was an excellent camouflage. I moved it away from the compost and it didn’t move as if it was still asleep and then I heard it take it’s first breath or croak. I left it alone and found it in the backyard pond the next day.
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Question of
Did you know that frogs freeze solid in winter and come alive in spring?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Can you see the frog in the photo?
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Yes
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No
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If I experienced something like that, I’d just run away ?
I must admit I did scream when I saw it at first.
Thanks for reading and your comments.
Great Gloridaze. You saved the life of a frog since you were alert.
I guess I did and with all the chopping and digging i was doing with the shovel it is a miracle it survived.
I learned something new. I did not know that aspect of a frog’s life cycle. I will have to let my ex parents in law know that fact as they also have a compost bin… But it will wait because right now it is May here but it is still too cool to even attempt a garden as the temperature is in the mid teens during the day and often dips to below teens at night.
It is still quite cool here too and I guess that is why the frog was still hibernating.
I did not know that about frogs. Wow how interesting!
It is a strange fact indeed and just another wonder of nature
Thank God the frog is still alive. He could be the prince.
Could be a prince now that you mention it. Yes he is alive and well.
Whoa.. isn’t the compost bin very hot for the frog. I have two huge bins but I have never found any creatures in them.
Actually where I live the winters are very cold so everything freezes including the compost. This spring it hasn’t warmed up much yet so I guess the frog was still hibernating.
That makes sense. Yeah, I was thinking from my kind of climate.