Frog Song Day

This appeared in the March 11, 2021 edition of The Fish Wrap.

Our favorite holiday is Frog Song Day, The Spring Peeper’s song means the ground has thawed and it’s time to get the garden ready. These tiny frogs with big voices are about the size of a paperclip. They are nocturnal, feed on small invertebrates and live for three years. 

Peepers have reason to sing when the ground thaws. They don’t bury themselves deep enough to avoid freezing like some other frogs, instead enduring freezing of their body fluids. They hide under logs or behind loose bark and start producing antifreeze. Up to 70% of the frog’s body can freeze to the point that its heart stops pumping. Scientists aren’t sure how they wake up again. They simply thaw out, go through a period of rest and healing and then resume the business of looking for a mate!

The nightly chorus of chirps is actually a mating ritual. Males gather at the edges of bodies of water in large groups and females are drawn to their singing, preferring greater speed and volume of chirps. They find a mate with the best song and then lay eggs in the water. As more frogs join the group, the competition increases and the calls get louder and more aggressive. Obnoxious types of frogs called ‘satellite males’ don’t sing at all. They position themselves near a loud singer and intercept females entranced by the crooner.

While writing this on 2/28, I took a break at dusk to gather the last eggs of the day. As I stepped outside into a deep pink sky, I heard the song of the frogs! When I hear that sweet music, I know it won’t be long before Jarrod gets a faraway look in his eyes and wanders off into the woods with his mushroom bag. Spring is coming!