How to Get Rid of Frogs – Keep them Away from Your Yard!

Updated on by Jared Belson | Please note that there may be affiliate links on this page.

A frog infestation is the worst thing in the world.

It’s like a toothache. You hear them croaking outside all hours of the day, which is incredibly loud, and on top of that, frogs can destroy your garden. Sooner or later, you’ll need to take action against the frogs before the damage is done and the infestation gets out of control.

There are a few ways that allow you to take back the control of your frog situation, all of which we’re going explore in today’s guide. Here are the most effective ways to get rid of frogs from your yard and keep them away!

First Steps

First things first. You need to identify the kind of frogs you’re dealing with. This is crucial because some frogs are protected and it’s illegal to remove or kill them, whereas others are fine to move on or kill. It all depends on where you live, so make sure you check local laws to avoid problems.

You can find which species you’re dealing with by taking photos of the frogs in your yard and referencing them with pictures online, or you can use a specialist who knows frog species.

You don’t want to harm or affect an endangered species residing in your yard as this could get you in a lot of legal trouble.

Adjusting Your Yard to Rid Yourself of Frogs

The easiest way to rid yourself of frogs, and keep them out over the long term is to work on your yard and making a few slight adjustments. A few things that can work include:

  • Putting rubber snakes in your pool or pond to scare the frogs away
  • Using snake repellent or other chemicals like pesticides or chlorine
  • Getting a cat or a dog

These are little adjustments that could make a big difference, but the difference is never guaranteed.

A more effective approach is to remove their food source. You can do this by turning off outdoor lights to prevent bugs and insects from being attracted to your yard. You can also use other pesticides to clear bugs off your plants that frogs love to eat, as well as removing open sources of pet food, which some frogs will also snack on.

The final way to protect your garden would be to create a physical barrier that prevents the frogs from getting into your yard in the first place.

What barrier you use will depend on the frogs you have. Some frogs can jump extremely high, whereas common pest frogs, like American Bullfrogs, will only jump around a foot or two. To stop them from getting in, erect a plastic fence around your yard perimeter, or use mesh. Make sure the holes in the mesh aren’t big enough to let the frogs through.

Make sure you set a budget as this could be very expensive, especially if you have a large yard and need a lot of fencing.

Drain Your Water Sources

Frogs are attracted to water sources and they’ll set their homes up around them. Also, if the water is dirty, stagnant, or muddy, this type of water attracts mosquitoes, a food source, and these kinds of pools are a great place for frogs to lay their eggs and raise their young.

The solution? Drain the water sources.

From your pond to your fountain, drain the water out and you’ll be forcing the frogs to move on. If you have a pond, you can invest in a filter that circulates the water to keep it clean and fresh.

Stay on top of removing algae and weeds from your pond area as well to lessen the chances of it become a prime frog habitat.

Stop Their Reproduction

When frogs are in, it’s hard to get them out again, so instead of fighting back, you can stop them from reproducing and staying in your yard. To prevent generations of frogs appearing, you’ll need to find the tadpoles and eggs in your yard’s water bodies.

Scoop the tadpoles and eggs out of the water and leave them on land. Leaving them in the sun for a day or two should be enough to dry them out and kill them.

The Humane Ways to Get Rid of Frogs

Time to get serious.

While the methods above should work on smaller populations, if you’re dealing with lots of frogs, you’ll need to be a little more proactive. If you don’t want to seriously harm the frogs, we’ll start with the gentle methods before slowly getting more atomic.

Some humane methods involve sprinkling used coffee grounds on your lawn and gardens. Coffee grounds contain nitrates, which is actually beneficial to your plants while causing discomfort to frogs, forcing them to move on from your yard over time.

If you want to kill frogs, which you will want to do if they’re an invasive species, you can do this humanely by capturing and then freezing them. This way, the frogs won’t feel it when you kill them.

This is also a great way to re-house frogs to lakes or streams safely, but make sure you never re-home an invasive species.

Some of the humane chemicals you can use include saltwater or vinegar that works the same as applying it to slugs. These chemicals will burn and sting the frog’s feet, naturally pushing them to move on.

Using Potent Chemicals

When dealing with an invasive outbreak, you need to act tough.

This means bringing in strong chemicals to kill and drive out your yard inhabitants. Herbicides and pesticides are your best bet.

Herbicides are applied to your weeds and plants. Some brands are known to sterilize male frogs that come into contact with the substances. Note, however, that this won’t work on all species, and there’s no guarantee to what other animals and life in your yard you may harm.

Pesticides are the most aggressive approach you can take. When mixed in with food sources, you will poison the frogs and kill them off. Once you take away the food sources as well, the frogs will start to dwindle quickly.

Using a Professional Service

Finally, if all else fails in your war on frogs in your yard and no approach works, it’s time to call in the big guns and use a professional pest control service. You’ll need to check which services are available in your local area to see what’s on offer.

The price and effectiveness of the service will depend on local services, so make sure you’re calling them up and asking the right questions. A professional pest control service can be very expensive, especially when dealing with a lot of frogs.

Final Word

Bear all these methods in mind and find a solution that works for you and your yard. Remember, you may need to use multiple methods to drive the frogs out completely, so be prepared to try them out one by one until you find what works best for you. And that’s how you’ll be free from frogs in no time at all!

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