What kind of frogs? What do they look like? I am picturing the little green tree frogs, but you may be talking about something else.

ANYway....I think that the damage caused by bleach or ammonia would far exceed the problems caused by all of those frogs. Maybe you can keep a hose handy for a quick spray off?

I wonder if you left your porch lights off for a few nights if they would move on. Surely they are attracted by yummy bugs, bugs being attracted to the lights....I've gotten so discouraged with sweeping spider webs and adult crane flies here in summer I've gone lightless on the front porch for a few nights until the 'hatch' was over.

I ended up spraying a diluted bleach solution last night after no replies. Had about 30 frogs up there. I really like them but they are to messy. The bleach has not shown any damage yet. All the frogs bailed, but I think some died. Will see if they come back tonight.Yes they are the little green rain frogs that sing when rain is near or if you spray the hose;-)

Geez you guys. Calm down. This is supposed to be a discussion forum, not a place to take out your frustrations through personal attacks. There are much more constructive ways to disagree than this. If you want someone to change their behavior, you don't start by insulting them.

Gulfbeach - I don't really like the idea of spraying bleach on frogs and suspect that the results will be pretty temporary. Have you tried keeping the lights off? Is screening in the porch a possibility? You might also contact a local fish & wildlife office for suggestions.

--Bob

Botanybob thanks for your input. I was starting to see a pattern develop in those replies. I am not sure where most of these members live but I am in N.W. Florida and my land is part wetlands and there is a large swamp adjacent to my property.My garden is next to the wetlands.There are thousands and thousands of frogs living in the swamp.I have dozens of frogs living in PVC pipes in my garden that don't bother me the least bit. I wrote for help because the frog poop has been a ongoing problem for the past few years.This frog mess is not a little something that can be sprayed off with a hose as some members think.I must go up on a ladder every few days and scrub it off. That gets old real quick, especially after a few years.I am not talking a poop here and there.There are dozens and dozens and if I let it go a week, there are hundreds.It covers everything.Not teeny spots, but about the size of rice. Hope you can see my frustration. I never leave my porch light on or it would be much worse. I wrote hoping someone knew of a solution.I thought for sure someone would know of an idea, but instead I got slammed. Maybe I did not wait long enough, but I was at my wits end.I am still open for suggestions, since I do not want to risk hurting more frogs. Yes, they are back. I am not sure if I killed any when I sprayed, since I did not see any on the ground the next day. I was hoping that the strong odor would chase them off. To those who attacked me, I have to ask. Do you kill roaches with those horrible painful poisons or make a rat die a painful death in those torture chamber rat traps? What about ant beds? Please do not even go to the forums here about those pesky squirrels or will be horrified at what you read about the merciless shotgun slayings.Again sorry to offend anyone, but give me a solution not insults.

gulfbeach,
on one hand, you are right and I apologize for getting a little personal....but on the other hand, you couldn't have picked a worse way of dealing with it especially after I perceived that you had only really thought about it for one day. To quote you:
"I am thinking of spraying bleach or ammonia all over the columns and overhead but that would probably wipe em out and I am wondering how it would affect the paint."

How would that sound to you reading it for the first time?

Perhaps if you explained the situation the way you did in your last post instead of the way you did in your first, it wouldn't have provoked the reaction you got.

However, I don't have any easy solution for you. I did a google search (as you must have) and found a website that mentioned spraying concentrated salt water on areas that they tend to hang out. Click on the link below to read what I read.
The fact that you live next to a wetland area in a very warm climate might mean that the frog poop comes with the territory and always will. If there are as many as you say, even killing a few here and there isn't going to make a difference in the long run...you will be fighting a losing battle. Much like I do with ants and mice.

Here is a link that might be useful: deterring frogs

nohandle, Thanks for getting back with me.Yes I should of written more details the first time, but I am a terrible 2 fingered typer and did not think about details.I am not sure why the frogs are congregating up in the columns and ceiling. Most likely because they can hide up in the overhead soffett etc.
I forgot to mention about what the area was constructed of.Thanks for the link (deterring frogs).It sounds good if I needed to keep them out of my garden but they are fine there. I think the salt solution would be bad for the metal and paint.If you find something else let me know.

Gulfbeach, No handle makes a good point. Sometimes humans build in areas where they can't have everything they want as the environment won't allow it, for example, the people who want a lawn in the middle of the dessert. The thing is that there surely is a solution (like using up all your precious water to keep the grass alive), but it is often a very human-centered solution. I think that you should try to find a solution that meets both your needs and those of the frogs. Have you considered that the paint color might be attracting the frogs? Maybe you should do some research on the frogs behavior and feeding habits and then you would figure out a really creative way to deter them. Of course, then please come back here and post it so that more people will know and avoid making the same mistakes.

I'm a little concerned about the saltwater solution. I don't know anything about amphibians, but I do know that their spongy skin makes them highly suseptible to chemical poisoning. I'm guessing that the frog's skin would easily absorb the salt water and quickly lead to dehydration. Dying of dehydration from the outside in sounds a little inhumane.

Vonyon, I know all too well of people building in areas that they should not.I have caught developers in ther swamp behind my home 3 times without permits trying to fill in the wetlands etc.. I reported them each time but money talks.I am in Pensacola and we are one of the last underdeveloped coastal areas left in FL. ,but years of corrupt public officials and greedy developers are changing that rapidly.Because the swamp is between myself and a bay, they will continue to try and find loopholes to develop. Because of a powerful building industry in N.W. Fl. wetland laws are not as strict as the rest of Fl. This upsets a great many of us.That is a reason that wildlife must move closer to us...we are doing away with their home.But we all know that. Just look at all the gator attacks in Fl. this week. I don't think it is the paint color that attracts the frogs or because it seemed like they would of come a few more years ago.I have a porch on the back side of my home (facing the swamp)with same paint and materials and it sometimes gets 1 or 2 frogs. No, I will not be using the salt water solution. I will let yall know if I come up with something.There has to be something that the smell would repel them.Happy Gardening Everyone!

Just to clarify, the way I understand it is you're not supposed to spray the salt water directly on the frogs. I think it's meant to be sprayed on surfaces that you don't want them on BEFORE they get there. They avoid the salt residue because, as Vonyon stated, it's not good for amphibians. Any frog that ends up hanging out in the salt and dying is probably not helping the gene pool anyways.

Nohandle, yes I understood that. Bad for frog and surfaces.
I have problem with salt in the air as it is, because the gulf is about 2 miles away as the crow flies or as a frog hops:-)
Garden "Web keeps rejecting my reply, telling me to change subject line. What is up w/that?

All you have to do is change title to 'frog poop 2' or something like that. That should do it.

Gulfbeach47,

I wish to apologize for my initial outburst. I spent a few years working with amphibians with the Minnesota Dept of Natural Resources and so I have an obvious affinity for them. This doesn't excuse my rudeness...

I must add a couple of caveats, however.

It IS unlawful to harm native tree frogs species in Florida unless you have a permit.

You should give responders more time to try to solve your problems. You mentioned that your problem has been an issue for years, yet you took action less than a day after posting your question. I understand that some of the experts on this forum can often have an answer within hours of the original post, but you'll be missing a lot of folks' perfectly good recommendations if you don't wait at least a few days to a week for people to chime in.

Again, sorry for my rudeness,

Mike

What is drawing the frogs is either sex or food. If they appear only at certain times of the year(spring, early summer) it is probably sex. If they are there most of the time it may be time to check for bugs. First try and be on the porch with a low light source to see where the frogs are coming from. If from cracks in your porch perhaps some fine screen wire stuffed in cracks leaving a hole for a week or so to allow the frogs a way out. You may find they are drawn to a certain bug but you have to either be on the porch or have a low light camera to catch the action.

I miss frogs on rainy nights you used to need to slow down to avoid them. I was in Florida last November and realized as a pair crossed in front of me that it has been at least 10 year since I have seen any on rainy nights. The last toad in my area was 4+ years ago when I took one out of my street to protect it.

Gulfbeach, I suppose the people who build in the wetlands will be appalled when they get flooded. The problem is, that in addition to them getting flooded, you will get flooded because the wetland, that acts as a buffer will sponge up the excess water. I think that is why people overreact to posts like yours. We see so many people simply considering the human side of the equation that we just assume that everyone does.

I was wondering........do frogs have a sense of smell?

GOOD for you, Mike. That was very nicely put, I think.

Hi all -

My suggestion would be to contact your local County Extension office and ask them for their recommendations.

In addition, please consider that in many counties, the frogs that you are spraying bleach at are actually endangered. I also live in Florida, and it is well-known that the fact that so many frogs are dying off is a terrible indication of the rampant over-development that has occured in the last decade.

You have to understand that, while I get that the poop is somewhat irritating (my parent's house has lots on the front porch from frogs), you obviously moved in to an area with frogs. The frogs see your house as part of their outside - of their nature - not as your porch, part of your house. Your house is literally no different than a tree or other shelter to them.

At any rate, I am certain that someone at the extension office could help you, but please, please, do not keep spraying bleach at them. As I said, it is very likely that they are actually endangered, and therefore, a protected species.

Have a beautiful day...

IS FROG POOP HARMFUL TO DOGS? Colorado River frogs...

really judy.. hijacking a ten year old post???

one might think you should try the dog or frog forums

ken

I know it has been many years since original post. Yet, someone might do research on frogs and find this conversation. I have a suggestion that my hubby shared with me. The idea is to alternate strips of copper and zinc, a few inches up the columns. The strips should be 1/4 to a 1/2 inch wide and separated by a quarter inch. What will happen is the galvanic action between the strips and the moist skin of frog, will produce mild electric shock. This WILL NOT HARM the frog but deter them from climbing up that area.