Spring Peeper

Pseudacris crucifer

Amphibian

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing spring peepers. These frogs are appropriately named because they’re often the first frogs to call as springtime approaches. Spring peepers are found throughout eastern North America. They live in vegetated habitats near still water systems like ponds, lakes, and swamps. They prefer places with no fish, so it’s not uncommon for them to gather near non-permanent pools of water where they may even lay their eggs.

They’re adept at climbing trees and other vegetation, but they’re most commonly found along the forest floor, the water’s edge, or buried in leaf litter. Something cool about spring peepers is that they’ve been found living in caves during times of drought because there is more moisture in the caves!

These frogs have a shrill, peep-like call that sounds like this. Males use this call to attract females. As soon as warmer weather begins to melt away cold temperatures, spring peepers emerge from their winter hibernation. They spend winters under fallen logs or in tree hollows, but as the weather warms up, they begin their chorus.

They aren’t the only frogs who may be heard during the beginning of spring. Chorus frogs may also be heard along with gray tree frogs and wood frogs - the frogs that can survive freezing! Spring peepers can usually be distinguished between these other amphibians by the “X” mark found on their backs. Not all spring peepers have a clear “X” spot, but there’s usually at least some suggestion of this.

Spring peepers may begin their calling as early as late February. The first warm rains of spring encourage their breeding. Adult spring peepers average about an inch (2.54cm) in length, though the ladies are slightly larger than the males, and those living further north may be larger on average.

The biggest males have the best luck with the ladies and a single female lays upwards of 1,000 eggs in a single season. These hatch at least a week later and the tadpoles take two to three months to develop into adults. Something worth noting about spring peeper tadpoles is that they have long tails. In field research, it’s been observed that these long tails are often partially missing, likely due to predation. It’s not known if this is fatal to the tadpoles or if they can actually regrow their tails throughout their larval stage.

Predators to spring peepers include snakes, owls, beetles, dragonfly larvae, and leeches. In turn, these frogs eat ants, beetles, spiders, and flies as adults. The tadpoles eat detritus and algae. They’re most active during rainy weather, but can still be seen outside of this time until winter weather returns. It’s unknown how long they live in the wild, though it’s believed to be at least three years.

For more facts on spring peepers, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today. A big thanks to our Patreon supporter, Adrienner, for today’s request. Our Patrons help ensure this channel stays active and you all continue to get the facts you love! Thanks for watching Animal Fact Files!