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Spawn spotters needed!

Common toad and spawn by Wendy Carter

The team at Worcestershire Wildlife Trust is encouraging individuals to record their sightings of toadspawn this spring.

The call comes as toad populations have fallen in recent years, with numbers declining by over 68% since the 1970s. Increased droughts and drier conditions may have contributed to these changes.

To gain greater insight into how toads are faring across Worcestershire, the species was identified as a target of the Trust’s Wildlife Sightings scheme in 2022. By individuals recording their toadspawn sightings, the population, distribution and breeding of toads in Worcestershire can be monitored and better understood.

Despite an encouraging amount of toadspawn records in 2023, sightings decreased significantly in 2024.

Diana Westmoreland, wildlife sightings volunteer, explains “At the moment, it’s difficult to establish if toads are struggling in Worcestershire or if toads and toadspawn are not being seen and are therefore not being recorded.

A clump of frogspawn with strings of toadspawn running through it by Wendy Carter

Frogspawn and toadspawn by Wendy Carter

“Whilst frogs will lay spawn in shallow patches of water, toads are more fussy; they prefer to lay spawn in larger bodies of water. Data shows that most records of toadspawn aren’t in gardens. People may have to travel further afield to find toadspawn, which may explain why we haven’t received many records.

“Toads typically return to their breeding ponds at this time of year, when the weather becomes milder. So, if you’re heading out for a weekend walk in your local park or greenspace, please keep an eye out for long strings of toadspawn in ponds and record your sightings.”

People can report their sightings of toadspawn by uploading photos to the Wildlife Sightings webpage.

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