Viatouch Teacher Articles
Science

Heard But Not Seen

by Dawnelle Breum

Spring is boldly announced in the Eastern parts of North America by spring peepers, or Pseudacris crucifers. These small frogs are among the first frogs to start calling in spring. Spring peepers are one of the most common tree frogs. They can be found from Manitoba (Canada) all the way to the farthest eastern provinces, south to Florida, and all the way to Texas. Spring peepers live near ponds, swamps or in wooded areas and are mostly active at night.

Spring peepers have very loud voices, a surprising trait for a frog so small. Their voice sounds similar to a loud, high whistle. The noise from a group of spring peepers calling has been compared to jingle bells on a sleigh! If you walk towards the noise, it will most likely stop. Stand silently, and it may start up again.

These loud frogs are almost impossible to see. They are only about one and a half inches long. Their coloring ranges from brown, olive-green, or grey and helps them blend into their environment. Most spring peepers have a dark X pattern on their back that makes them easy to identify, if you can spot one! If you were to hold one and look at their toes, you would see toe pads. Their toe pads are adhesive, which helps the frogs climb trees or other smooth, flat surfaces.

When the warm spring rains start, spring peepers breed and lay eggs. They lay around 900 eggs per clutch—up to 1,000 eggs is possible! Spring peepers eat a diet of small insects such as ants, spiders, and water bugs. They however, are preyed upon by diving beetle larvae, skunks, snakes, and even bigger frogs.

So, if you're visiting or live in the eastern parts of the United States or Canada in the spring, and hear a sound from the treetops that sounds like a whistle or jingle bells, stand still and look carefully around you. You might catch a glimpse of a spring peeper, the tiny frog that is often heard but not seen.

Reference:
Simon, Hilda. Frogs and Toads of the World. NY: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1975

Internet:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/FrogNotes1.html
http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/songs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_peepers

Image courtesy of Jeff LeClere, www.herpnet.net

Dawnelle Breum is a former first grade teacher who writes from her home in Ontario, Canada. Her work has been or will appear in Babybug, Homeschooling Today, Family Times, and various online magazines. Her lesson plans can be found in the book "The Giant Encyclopedia of Monthly Crafts" and here at Viatouch.com.

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