Setting the facts straight about arum lilies and frogs
A campaign urging residents not to purchase arum lilies from vendors at the side of the road seems to be gaining momentum whilst spreading inaccurate information about arum lilies two of the Cape’s amphibians, the arum lily frog and micro frog.
This misleading information has also gone viral, and is being spread via e-mail and social networking tools. The ERM Department, in conjunction with CapeNature and the South African National Biodiversity Institute would like to highlight the facts.
The information being circulated refers to an ‘arum lily micro frog’ which does not exist. There are, however, two different species of frog, namely the micro frog (Microbatrachella capensis) and the arum lily frog (Hyperolius horstockii). The micro frog is smaller than a fingernail, while the arum lily frog is somewhat larger, growing to about 40 mm in length.
It has been reported that the ‘arum lily micro frog’ is in danger because of the sale of arum lilies, but this is not at all correct for either of the frog species.
No frog species breeds in the flowers of arum lilies. While the arum lily frog occasionally uses the flowers for shelter, it is not dependant on them. Arum lily frogs breed in wetlands and not in the flowers of the arums. The micro frog is ground-dwelling, breeding in temporary pools, and it does not climb into any flowers.
Arum lily frogs are very pale and they hide their bright orange feet and legs under their bodies during the day. In this way, the frog is able to use a white background as camouflage against predators and this background is sometimes the white arum flower. They do not use the pollen of the flowers to camouflage themselves, as has been suggested.
Arum lily frogs are only found in the Western Cape (and a small area of the Eastern Cape) and sadly, the species is becoming increasingly rare as their habitat is lost to urban development.
While the illegal harvesting of arum lilies will not lead to the extinction of arum lily frogs, the sale of illegally harvested flora at traffic lights is cause for concern. If left unchecked, other illegally harvested plants such as proteas, ericas, and various bulb species may be seen at traffic lights in the future.
The City does not wish to deter the public from purchasing flowers from hawkers – as long as they are legal retailers. All roving vendors and intersection traders selling flowers are illegal. However, traders selling flowers in demarcated trading bays are legal, and regulated by the City. The City encourages the public to report illegal trading on /1424.
The ERM Department is currently updating its pamphlets on frogs and lilies, and will distribute them widely in an attempt to ensure that the public receives the correct information.
Extracts from media release Issued by: City of Cape Town
Media enquiries: Clifford Dorse, Biodiversity Co-ordinator, Biodiversity Management Branch, City of Cape Town, Tel: or Cell:
Dr John Measey, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Tel:
2 Comment
Kim, November 22, 2011 at 11:07 am
Dear Carla,
thank-you for your post and I apologize for the delay in replying.
I am an environmentalist and not a frog expert, but I have an eco friendly garden at home and enjoy a number of frog and toad friends. You can Google frog friendly gardens for a wide range of advice and then select what works for your garden. At home we have two small ponds which have definitely encouraged the cape stream frog to breed and live in our garden. I love listening to their clicking in the evenings and as a precursor to rain. We have shallow dishes of water in our veggie garden which encourages the resident Leopard Toads to do nightly snail and worm patrols where we need them most. The Toads don’t live in water, but need to rehydrate every so often – hence the dishes of water.
Other tips include the common sense things such as: leave leaf litter under bushes, plant indigenous, don’t use chemical insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers.
I would love to have Arum Lily frogs in my garden and have planted Arum lilies around my ponds – however, there is no way that these frogs could make their way to my garden and I would not relocate them from the wild as I do not know what their habitat requirements are. It would be irresponsible to remove them from their natural environment and must be illegal.
I hope this helps. Please give us feedback on your journey to a frog friendly garden. I believe that frogs and toads in a garden are an eco- stamp of approval and enjoying Nature at home replenishes our souls battered as they are by city living.
allthebest,
ReplyKim
carla langley, November 15, 2011 at 4:27 pm
hi i would like to make a frog garden- please could someone give me some advice as to how to go about this many thanks carla
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