Aquatic wonders in the back yard

Over the years, fishponds have become popular landscaping projects for homeowners. These man-made ponds are usually stocked with goldfish or koi and offer many hours of viewing enjoyment for people near their homes. These aquatic environments, by design or inadvertently, also attract other creatures that would otherwise be found on a wetland habitat.

A friend of mine, who wishes to be known only as Liz, has constructed a small pond at her home in Greeley, PA. It was originally set up for goldfish, but in the last three years it has become a habitat for all manner of amphibians. Some of the species seen or heard from this pond include the green frog, pickerel frog, grey tree frog, American toad and red-spotted newts. The nearby flowers attract several species of bees and wasps, butterflies and hummingbirds. The fish were being fed, but the frogs and toads came because of the favorable habitat and found their own food. During the spring and early summer, the melodic courtship calls from a variety of frog and toad species could be heard just by opening a window in the house. Liz has described the pond and the frogs as “very soothing.”