How to Make a Tadpole Trap

Tadpoles are adolescent frogs. Frogs lay their eggs in ponds or other still bodies of water. When the eggs hatch, tadpoles emerge. You can use a butterfly net to catch tadpoles, but if you don't want to stand over the water chasing them, you will need to make a tadpole trap. One of the best types of tadpole traps is a cylinder trap. This trap is a mesh cylinder with a cone inside that allows tadpoles to pass through a small hole at the top of the cone to get the food in the bait basket above. Tadpoles usually swim downward at an angle which will lead to them being trapped alongside the cone. Some may escape, but most tadpoles will not be able to find the opening in the cone.

Things You'll Need

  • Wire-mesh cone, 10 inches in diameter at the base by 12 inches tall
  • Wire-mesh cylinder 10 inches in diameter by 16 inches tall
  • Necklace wire, 24 gague
  • Shallow strainer, 3-inch
  • 2 Wooden or metal stakes, 3-foot
  • Wire cutters
  • Drill
  • Drill bit, 1/8-inch
  • 3 Squeeze clamps, small
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut off the top of the wire mesh cone with the wire cutters so the opening created is about 3 inches in diameter. This should be about 4 to 5 inches down from the tip of the cone.

    • 2

      Insert the top of the cone into the wire mesh cylinder until the cone and cylinder are flush at the bottom. Use the squeeze clamps to secure the wire mesh cone and cylinder so that there are no gaps between them.

    • 3

      Drive the 3-foot stakes into the bottom of the pond where you want to place your trap. Space them about 2 feet apart.

    • 4

      Wrap the wire around the top of the first stake and thread it through the wire mesh cone 1 inch from the top, from one side through the other. Stretch the wire to the other stake and tighten until the top of your wire mesh cylinder hangs about 2 to 3 inches above the surface of the water. Make sure the cone is completely submerged and the opening is at least 4 inches below the water.

    • 5

      Wrap the wire around the second stake once the trap is in the proper position.

    • 6

      Cut three wires 4 inches long and loop them around the hanging wire at the center of the trap. Loop the wires at three opposite points on the strainer so that it hangs in the water, above the opening in the wire mesh cone. This will be your bait basket.

    • 7

      Place the tadpole bait in your bait basket and check daily for tadpoles.