Roundup- bad for weeds, bad for frogs
By Tina Lehman onRoundup is very effective as a weed and grass killer.It comes with a convenient applicator that makes it possible to not have to come into contact with the poison itself, which is an advantage.I have used Roundup before, and it works very quickly and effectively to remove weeds from unwanted places.
I am an environmental scientist and study the effects of pesticides on amphibians.Recently many studies looking at the effects of Roundup herbicides on frogs have found that this substance is very toxic, and can kill nearly all the tadpoles (frog babies) in a pond.Although Roundup is not made to kill aquatic weeds and so is not applied in water, this pesticide can still find its way into water via runoff or overspray.
So, if you are needing to kill weeds quickly and effectively and have little or no way to introduce this herbicide into a body of water then Roundup is definitely an option.It can be relatively safe environmentally if it is applied according to directions and away from wetlands such as lakes and ponds.If you are looking for a weed-kiling option that is a little more frog-friendly then Roundup is not a good choice.
I am sooo glad you mentioned the frog issue. We have a koi pond and have a good many bullfrogs that visit it. We don't spray anything on the plants near the water and let the dragonflies and birds take care of the pests. That said, my husband used roundup to get rid of a trumpet vine that was growing all around the garden and actually had tendrils dipping into the water. Unfortunately, it killed all the fish and frogs. That has been years ago and we learned our lesson the hard way. :( But it works wonders on keeping grass from busting through our driveway.
Ooh! Froggy shudders to read what this does to her relatives!!!!! I don't like using pesticides at all. But I shamefully confess to using RoundUp on my driveways and front walk. Think I'll switch to salt.
I am so hesitant to use roundup or any other pesticide. this is great info and hopefully will save some froggies!
We have been leery too about using pesticides & I'm glad that for the last few years we haven't. I love those little tadpoles & want to save them!
Awww... It made me sad to hear about the frogs. I have many frogs living around my home. Thanks for the information.
How horrible that this is so toxic to frogs, and other small animals I'm sure. Just goes to show that what kills one thing (weeds) has the potential to kill other things, directions and extreme caution should always be exercised.
Poor froggies! What happens to them is an indication of what is going on in the rest of the environment.
Yes, I try to avoid chemical solutions whenever possible (but I confess to needing to murder the poison ivy)
Agree with you that Roundup is very unfriendly to the ecosystem, thanks for sharing that knowledge.
Thank you for sharing this. I have used this as a source when talking about the effect of herbicides and pesticides on the environment.