Tuesday 16 April 2013

The Spring Peepers are a-peepin'!

Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) The wee frogs are singing in the bogs. Hundreds of thou
sands of them, all raising their voices. It is a lovely chorus. Tiny things, they are liable to being eaten by almost anything. I used to watch Patch, the young snapping turtle, hunt for them in our frog pond.
Patch, the one-eyed snapping turtle
he was killed in 2009
green frogs, snapping turtles, everything eats them!

in metamorphosis
 They are no bigger than the size of a paperclip when adults.
Brown or tan, these amphibians climb like tree frogs.
They spend they day in peace and quiet, but nocturnal as they are, they escape predators by hanging out at night.
At dusk you can year their amazing chorus, also in the early morning.

Eggs are laid in the water, in a green jelly, they hatch and emerge, losing their tails.

You can spot them if you tread carefully on the edge of the wetland, hopping to an important destination.

They eat beetles, flies, ants and spiders.
According to National Geographic, they get to be about 2.5cm (1").
In winter they hibernate under logs, behind loose bark, or other prime spots.
Spring peeper tadpoles

It is such a beautiful sound! Listen to the video to hear them. I cried for joy last night!
 

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love to hear the peepers. Someone once told me that the first time you hear the peepers for 3 nights in a row there will be no more frost. Is it true? probably just an "old wives tale" but it makes you go out and listen.

Latane Barton said...

That's a frog... it's a wee one. Bet it makes a lot of noise.

Phil Slade said...

They obviously make up in volume what lack in size Jen. Good to hear (and see) them and I'm so pleased spring has peeped.

Red said...

I certainly enjoy frogs. I spend time creeping up to a small pond and watching for activity. If you're quiet, you can watch them sing.

eileeninmd said...

I love listening to the peepers. What a tiny frog!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

It's a very very lovely thing! Thanks for the recording as well. I love that you have so many of them.

Unknown said...

You are so fortunate and thank you for sharing that recording. I love their chorus too and can't wait to hear it for myself. What a marvelous time of year.

Kay said...

Gee... Those peepers sound like my tinnitus.

Judy said...

Wow!! Spring peepers sure have a big voice in that tiny body!!!