Passo San Giovanni Hotel Battles Frog Invasions Using Salt Barriers
He spends the hours with a worried look, always gazing at the sky, Roberto Vivaldi, the owner of the Passo San Giovanni hotel.
In the past two days, in fact, Roberto has learned that just a few drops of rain are enough to trigger the invasion of the army of frogs that, on Sunday, flooded his premises.
“Monday evening — he explains — five minutes of light rain were enough to bring the situation back to emergency levels. It’s true that the barriers set up in the morning held up well, but the little frogs came up through the only open gap, the bike path, and invaded the forecourt and the main road, once again requiring the intervention of the Torbole fire brigade with hoses.”
Defense measures and the frog invasion
“It’s incredible how quickly they returned from the lake the other night. Just a few moments of rain from the sky and they were already here, everywhere.” And so, in anticipation of the next rainfall and subsequent invasion, the steps continue to reinforce the defense systems.
“The forest service personnel — Vivaldi explains — are completing the fencing of the area with the tarp. I, on the other hand, went to buy salt to sprinkle on the private road behind the building: the barrier made with the tarps should prevent the little frogs from invading it, but you can never be too sure.” The barrier has effectively created a “frogland” on one side and a free zone on the other.
Just a glance beyond the “fence” bordering the woods reveals how, among the tall grass and pine roots, in the cool and humid environment, the small amphibians continue their relentless march, indifferent to humans’ amazement and unaware of the chaos they’ve caused in recent hours.
Salt as a weapon against frogs
But is the salt he refers to the same as used in winter on roads against ice and snow? “Exactly. On Sunday, experts advised me to place it in front of the kitchen entrance, and this method proved very effective. So I decided to buy a large quantity to also keep the access path clear, should the emergency occur again.
It will also be used to “close” the exit to the main road from the bike path: that’s where most of the little animals arrived from the other evening.” As they had no other way, the frogs “diligently” climbed the narrow strip of asphalt reserved for bikes that runs along the lake, just below the main road, and emerged at the pass.
Thus, salt is an effective chemical weapon. “It seems so — admits Vivaldi — which he explains by receiving quite a few calls from pranksters eager for fun — but you can imagine the jokes from those who sold it to me: ‘Does it snow in Passo San Giovanni in June?’” they asked.”
And from the Province, he received signals; has anyone contacted him to hear his side? “For now, no one has reached out, except, of course, the forest rangers who are doing a truly valuable job. We’ll see how the situation resolves and maybe I’ll reach out to them myself…”
