The Florida Frogs

Green Treefrog
Hyla cinerea
Photo credit: Walkingfox
Frog sounds credit: All About Frogs

The Endangered Amphibians of Florida

Frogs

Salamanders

Toads

The Florida Frogs

2008 was the Year of the Frog

To begin: what is an amphibian?

Amphibian is from the Greek amphibios, or two lives.

Amphibians are cold blooded animals that spend time

both in and out of water. They usually go through a change

or metamorphosis and become another animal.

All Amphibians have thin skin which is quite susceptible

to temperature changes, so they are careful

not to get too hot or too cold.

Frogs are of the Amphibian Class

and of the order Anura.

There are more than twenty Frog and

three Toad Species that are Native to Florida.

What is the difference between Frogs and Toads?

This page answers that question nicely:

Frogs and Toads

There are no poisonous Frogs in the state of Florida.

The green beauty above is one of our "pet" Green Treefrogs.

This one is a female as shown by her white side stripe.

They can be found most anywhere in our yard.

One of our female Green Treefrogs
Photo credit: Walkingfox

In the past, she has been on my kitchen window screen

numerous times hanging by her little suction cup feet,

looking in as if to say "what's to eat?"

The Frogs always seem surprised to see us and not the least

bit bothered by our startled reactions sometimes.

Just checking the temperature~
Photo credit: Walkingfox

Our Frogs seem to disappear during the cooler, dry winter season,

but return as soon as it warms and starts raining again.

Lake County, as its name implies, has numerous lakes,

and the water is the draw that keeps them here.

On warm, summer nights, their raucous chorus

can be heard, I am sure, for miles~

I never tire of accidentally finding them.

They are frequently hiding inside this large tuberous

plant on our patio and in our outdoor laundry room.

The flower is a Great shelter and it always has

a little water for them to drink~

String Lily
Crinum americanum
Photo credit: Walkingfox

These 3 Florida Frogs are Species of Special Concern:

Gopher Frog - SSC
Rana capito aesopus

A somewhat large frog of about 3 inches.

It is cream colored with many dark blotches.

Lives in a dry habitat of Pine Flatwoods in

unoccupied Gopher Tortoise Burrows.

This Frog eats at night and needs a

small pond nearby for laying its eggs.

Florida Bog Frog - SSC
Rana okaloosae

This smallish frog of less than 2 inches,

is found only in Western Panhandle of Florida,

near Walton and Santa Rosa,

in shallow creeks or ponds.

Its upper body is brown/dark green

with yellow underneath.

Pine Barrens Treefrog - SSC
Hyla andersonii

Another Protected geographically specialized

Treefrog living only in the hillside bogs of

the Western Panhandle of Florida in

Santa Rosa and Walton counties.

Its size is between one to one and a half inches.

The coloring is quite remarkable.

A bright yellow/green backside with

brown color underneath as a wide swath

with yellow/green legs and brown feet.

Their Call sounds like a "Honking Goose".

The Green Treefrog like many others in Florida,

is in jeopardy of being overrun by non-native,

invasive Frogs and Toads, like the Cuban Treefrog

and the Marine or Cane Toad who has become

a serious problem for pets in South Florida.

Florida's Frogs and Toads along with Lizards

are a nearly perfect insect control in your

yard and they should be appreciated for the

valuable service that they provide all of us each day.

To ensure that they will always be there,

please consider using a natural form of pest control

and do keep them in mind before putting chemicals

on your yard, which in the end may harm not only

them and our pets , but we humans as well.

Another environmental factor seldom talked about in Florida

is the detrimental affect of chemicals on our water supply.

Agricultural run off affects not only our Frogs, Toads and

Alligators and most other animals, but Humans as well.

When we pollute our water with pesticides, it can take

as long as 10,000 years to repair the damage done.

The state of Florida, is basically a giant aquifer,

which means that literally everything we put down

our drains, on our lawns, in our lakes, or down

our gutters, may end up in our drinking water.

Something to consider.

See the Red List at IUCN:

Amphibians

Places to learn more:

Audubon explores Frogs

Common Frogs and Toads

Center for North American Herpetology

Anura: Frogs and Toads

Environmental Health News

Watching Florida's Water

Florida Museum of Natural History

Herpetology

Florida Nature: Anura

Frogs and Toads

Florida Wildlife Extension

Florida Frogs and Toads

Frogwatch USA

Frogs and Toads of Florida

National Biological Information Infrastructure

Amphibians

San Diego Zoo

Animal Bytes: Amphibians

Science Daily

Agriculture Linked to Abnormalities

Amphibian

Ancient Amphibians

Seaworld

Frog Listening Network

Smithsonian

Marine Toad

St. Louis Zoo

Amphibians

University of Florida

Florida's Frogs and Toads

Frogs and Toads of Florida

USGS

Frogs and Toads

Gopher Frog

Walking with the Alligators

Write to Gator Woman

gatorwoman3 at centurylink.net

Keep Florida Wildlife Wild and Alive~

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Last edited January 23, 2010

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