CONSERVATIONISTS are urging people inWiltshire not to move frogspawn from one pond to another this spring because of the problems it can cause for the local environment.

Wildlife lovers in the UK often donate frogspawn from their pond to friends to give frogs a potential new home.

But the Froglife charity said this could lead to the spread of invasive plants and harmful diseases.

Scientists said the best way to populate ponds is by making them frog-friendly and letting nature take its course.

Daniel Piec, of Froglife, said: “If you want to do the best for our wildlife, our advice is to leave frogspawn where it is and let nature do the rest.”

Conservationists at Froglife said the practice of spawn-swapping in the UK goes back decades. They believe it is one of the reasons why frogs have remained widespread in this country.

A survey by the charity of about 1,000 people suggested a third of them had artificially moved frogspawn into their own ponds when they had created them