Nature Notebook – Leopard Frog

A late summer or autumn walk through the wetland grassy areas may result in a sighting of a leopard frog. The speckled amphibian uses this habitat located between the green frog’s aquatic surroundings and the toad’s shorter grass neighborhood. Consequently, the frog is also called the meadow frog or the grass frog.

Up until the mid-1900s, finding a leopard frog was as easy as a walk in the park (well, a wetland). They were everywhere! However, wetlands destruction as well as overcollection for school dissection studies and frogs’ legs sales decimated their populations.

Fall is when an ectotherm’s (“cold-blooded”) thoughts turn to hibernation. The leopard frogs will start moving from their grassy areas to permanent bodies of water that don’t completely freeze. They usually return to the same “home” pond each year. This is where they will burrow into the mud for a long winter’s nap.