Frog populations have undergone serious decline in recent years and a third of the species are now listed as threatened worldwide.
Australia has been identified as a global hotspot of frog decline with 15 species listed as endangered, 12 species listed as vulnerable and four species that are extinct.
Not only are frogs vulnerable to habitat loss and feral animal predation, but they are also susceptible to disease, pollution, pesticides and climate change.
Albury-Wodonga is home to many species of frogs including the Eastern Banjo Frog, Spotted Marsh Frog, Peron’s Tree Frog and the threatened Sloane’s Froglet.
Creating a permanent frog-friendly garden will help in the conservation and management of these species.
You can provide a supplementary habitat for frogs in your backyard by building a frog hotel.
Frog hotels are a great way to encourage more frogs to visit your garden while giving them a safe space to live in.
Which frogs will check out (and check-in to) a frog hotel?
Frog hotels are designed for Peron's Tree Frog as they can easily climb up the pipes.
Read the step-by-step guide, designed by Wildlife Queensland, to building a frog hotel
Materials
PVC pipes in 3-4 different widths
Bowl or tub that will hold water (if your chosen pot/tub has a drainage hole at the bottom, seal this with silicone)
Small gravel or pebbles
Optional:
Native water plants
Large river stones or decorative rocks
Solar light
Step 1. Cut your PVC pipes to random different lengths and sand back the cut edges so they are smooth.
Step 2. Arrange the pipes how you would like them to look in your chosen bowl or tub.
Step 3. Have an assistant hold the pipes in place while you scoop in the small pebbles/gravel around them until they stand upright on their own. Some additional gravel can be put inside each pipe for extra support.
Step 4. If you are adding a water plant, place it now so that the rim of the pot sits just below the edge of the outer bowl.
Step 5. Fill the rest of the bowl with the gravel, or decorative rocks or river stones if you would like.
Step 6. Fill the pipes and bowl with water. Your frog hotel is now ready for guests to check-in.
Other tips
You can also add a solar light in or next to the frog hotel to attract moths and other insects at night for the frogs to feed on.
Check your hotel every few days and top up with water when necessary. It is best to use water that is chlorine and chemical-free. You can achieve this by purchasing a bottle of water conditioner from the fish section at your local pet store or standing a bucket of tap water outdoors for a minimum of 24 hours.
If you are using plants, make sure you choose ones that are happy to be in constantly wet soil.
Some frog-friendly natives include:
- Common rush (Juncus usitatus)
- Bog primrose (Villarsia exaltata)
- Native violet (Viola hederacea)
- Frosmouth (Philydrum lanuginosum)