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Nature: Frogs |
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When a heavy evening rain is impending during the spring or summer, many
frogs and toads begin to call. This is the first signal of intense
breeding activity. Frogs and toads generally mate at night, since the
darkness conceals them from sharp-eyed predators, especially wading
birds. As rain starts to fall more and more frog voices are heard, until
in certain places it becomes almost deafening. Although it may seem
like frogs are just singing for fun, it is actually the males who are
calling to set up territories and to attract females. Most frogs in
Florida breed and lay their eggs in shallow, temporarily flooded ponds,
ditches, and depressions. Temporary water holes do not have large
resident populations of predators, such as fish, salamanders, and water
snakes, that would feed on the eggs or tadpoles because theses shallow
pools usually dry up quickly. Bullfrog-
The bullfrog is the most famous frog in the United States, not only
because of its great size, but also because its hind legs are considered
a delicacy by many! The bullfrog can measure up to twelve inches with
it's legs outstretched. This frog is generally dark green to brown on
its upper surfaces and white or creamy underneath, sometimes with black
mottling. The bullfrog's nose is rounded, unlike the pointed snout of
the Pig Frog. Bullfrogs live around permanent bodies of fresh water,
including lakes and ponds and the sluggish portions of creeks. Bullfrogs
are voracious eaters and devour just about any animal that is smaller
than itself. The bullfrog's call is a very deep-pitched jurrrooom.
Less aquatic than the Pig Frog, the bullfrog usually calls from the
shoreline. On a still evening you can hear the bullfrog's call from a
quarter of a mile away. The Bullfrog is found throughout the panhandle
and central Florida, but is not found in the extreme southern part of
the state. Pig
Frog- The Pig Frog is Florida's second largest frog. Pig Frogs
are rarely found on land, being almost entirely aquatic. The Pig Frog
gets his name from it's call, which sounds like a loud guttural grunting
of a pig. The male pig frog calls while sitting on a lily pad or other
floating vegetation. Like the bullfrog, the pig frog is often collected
for it's edible hind legs. Pig Frogs main diet consists of crayfish.
These frogs are olive to blackish brown and sometimes have prominent
dark spots. Like most of the ranids, the pig frog has a white venter.
But small flecks of brown or black can be found in its groin area. The
Pig Frog's webbing on the hind feet extends to the very tip of the
longest toe Eastern
Narrow-mouthed Frog-Although traditionally called a toad, the
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Frog is a common frog belonging to a mostly
tropical family of frogs. This is a good example of how confusing the
toad/frog distinction can be. This frog lives on damp soil under logs
and debris where it feeds mostly on termites and ants. The
Narrow-mouthed frog can be recognized by its small pointed head and
chubby smooth-skinned body. This frog has a unique fold of skin just
behind its head, which some observers claim can be pulled down over its
eyes. Males have a dark throat, but the females do not. Eastern
Narrow-mouthed Frog's feet are unwebbed, and each of the hind feet has a
spade for digging. The frogs can reach 1.5 inches long from snout to
rump. During the day, eastern narrow-mouthed toads usually stay beneath
leaves, under stones, or in other hidden spots along the ground. When
discovered, they typically try to hop quickly away. Eastern
Narrow-mouthed Frogs come out at night, which is when they eat. By
remaining active at night and hiding during the day, the toads can avoid
many of their predators, including garter snakes, bullfrogs, and large
wading birds. When Eastern Narrow-mouthed Frogs are attacked, however,
the frog can ooze a bad-tasting substance from their skin. This
substance may be poisonous to a predator. The substance provides
protection from the predators as well as the biting ants that the toad
eats. The Eastern Narrow-mouthed frog's call on rainy nights sounds like
a lamb bleating and is one of the most common heard frog calls in
Florida, particularly in the warmer months. The frog calls from deep
inside grass clumps and can be very difficult to locate when singing.  Gopher
Frog- The Gopher Frog, often called the White Frog, is lavishly
decorated with dark spots on its upper surfaces, but its base color is a
very light gray, almost white. Florida Gopher Frogs are stockier than
other members of the genus Rana. This frog does not usually
live as close to water as do other true frogs, but lives in dry wooded
habitats where the
gopher tortoise
burrow is used as its home. The Florida Gopher is active mainly at
night. Although not rare, the Florida Gopher Frog is seldom seen,
especially during daylight hours. During the day this frog retreats into
the damp burrow of gopher tortoises or into other cavities. Gopher Frogs
are best seen when they are calling from breeding ponds, which may be a
mile or more from their home burrows. Gopher frogs breed mostly in the
winter and early spring in North Florida, and later in South Florida
because of the delayed onset of heavy rains. The call of the Gopher
frogs sounds like a prolonged rasping snore.
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