POLLYWOGS, BOGS AND FROGS

April 6, 2011
Welcome to Wuv'n Acres©
POLLYWOGS, BOGS AND FROGS
A page dedicated to our love of amphibians

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Lifelong lovers of amphibians, we thought it was only right to dedicate a portion of our website to some of our family members.
Trust me, these guys are in charge! If you have ever been to our home in the spring or summer, you know who rules the roost.
Don't plan on sleeping over, the sounds of their calls can be heard all night long, and plenty loud!

Ponds, bogs and plenty of places for a frog to take refuge, we have created quite a little frog-friendly environment around here.
We're not big on weed killing chemicals and other caustic killers, so the frogs have made our home their own.
Frogs are wonderful indicators of the condition of our environment. They are very sensitive to the toxic pollutants in our air and water.
Looking around at Wuv'n Acres you will find we are au naturel. Frogs are welcome here, pollution is not.

Oklahoma is said to have 30 species of frogs. Let's see how many we have:

Leopard Frog - RANA

Abundant around our home, the Leopard frog is always welcome!

They are safe from harmful chemicals and biological studies other than simple
observance and our annoying cameras and recording devices.

Fond of shallow habitats, they can often be found in lightly wooded areas, bogs and such.

For our state, three species of Leopard frogs are present, including Rana utricularia and
Rana blairi (Plains Leopard Frog). Rana pipiens is not native to Oklahoma, but is native
to North America. Note there are often variations and synonyms in species identification.

Females lay 3,000 to 6,000 eggs per season, breeding in spring or summer.

Often confused with the Pickerel frog, though the Pickerel is more readily identified as having
square-shaped spots instead of the rounded spots of the Leopard frog.

Common name: Leopard Frog
Family: Rana
Habitat: Ponds, bogs, ditches of water

Spring Peeper - PSEUDACRIS CRUCIFER

When you hear the little peep-peep-peeps of the Spring Peeper, you know Spring
is not far off. Tiny, yet fully capable of making quite a sound when grouped in number.

Click HERE to hear the sounds of a Spring Peeper.

Easily identified by an often, if not ever-present X on their back, with little pads on their toes
and fingers. Native to Eastern North America. They are found in shades of brown, olive and gray. Peepers
aged two to three years old are of breeding age. Breeding period is typically April and May.
6-12 days per batch of 800-1000 eggs.

Common name: Spring Peeper
Family:
Habitat: Ponds, swamps, marsh areas on low land with water.

Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad - GASTROPHRYNE CAROLINENSIS

For such a little toad, this one is very fat, though he is barely an inch and some change long.
Their calls are a very strange chorus of what sounds like sick sheep.
Plug your nose and say "Behhhhhhhhhhh" in a voice higher than your own.

Common name: Eastern Narrow-mouthed toad
Family: Microhylidae
Habitat: Ponds, bogs, ditches of water

American Toad - Bufo Americanus

The American Toad is a sweet little toad more than welcome in our garden. Their little chirps and quirky squeaks will have your other pets most curious! Many thanks to ENature.com for the sounds of an American Toad.