Common frogs Rana temporaria are widely distributed across the UK and are often seen in ponds, shallow lakes, marshes, and quiet streams during this time. In March each year frogs engage in an intense mating behaviour called amplexus, when males latch on to the backs of females to ensure fertilisation. The male uses specialised, hardened nuptial pads on his thumbs to gain a firm grip, releasing sperm directly onto the eggs as the female releases them, usually into shallow water, often resulting in large masses of floating spawn.
Alex Hyde is one of Britain’s leading exponents of close-up nature photography. His award-winning images portray a hidden world of extraordinary beauty. “To this day I delight in revealing tiny details of subjects that would be missed by the naked eye. Many of my pictures involve photographing moving subjects smaller than a grain of rice. Nature provides me with an endless array of fascinating subjects.”
Join our mail list to stay in touch with announcements, special discounts and news from the natural world.
