Why you ask is AQUA DOC’s mascot a frog? The frog symbolizes a healthy aquatic environment. It is an amphibian with the ability to leave a body of water as it desires. If your pond has unhealthy water conditions, frogs will simply leave the pond and find a more desirable home. While fish, turtles and insects are also key symbols of healthy aquatic environments, these animals are sometimes not as noticeable and vocal.
There are 15 species of frogs and toads native to Ohio. They are cold blooded and many species hibernate over winter in the bottom of ponds, buried in the muck. They start mating calls in early spring and most species will mate through summer. Between 700 - 3000 black eggs are covered in a gelatinous glob usually attached to shoreline vegetation. The eggs hatch in 3-5 days and tadpoles emerge. Tadpoles have gills and breathe similarly to fish. Tadpoles are vegetarians feeding mostly on plankton. Tadpole transformation usually takes place within one year for most species with an exception being the Bull Frog which can last up to 3 years. The adult frog must come to surface for air and feeds on mostly insects and worms. Frogs absorb water through their skin and therefore do not need to drink. In Japan frogs are considered to be the symbol of Good Luck.
Northern Spring Peepers, Pseudacris crucifer, are often welcomed as a sign of spring to come. They range in size from 0.75 in. up to 1.25 in. and can be identified by an “X” on their back. They are considered tree frogs but generally utilize swamps and moist woodlands, staying on the ground in thickets and under the cover of dead leaves. The sound can be overwhelming during mating season.
American Bullfrogs, Rana catasbieana , are the largest species of Ohio frogs. They are very common in ponds. They are most noted for their long range jumping abilities, their deep, guttural mating call and some people enjoy the taste of their legs.
So Why are Frogs so Important to an ecosystem? Tadpoles eat some planktonic algae species. Tadpoles and adult frogs serve as a steady diet to fish as well as many other animals including snakes and birds. Adult frogs eat both larval and adult mosquitoes as well as flies. Even more importantly what adult does not get a kick out of watching a child chase a frog around the backyard?
While many factors can be utilized in defining a healthy pond, the frog stands out. Frogs depend on a healthy aquatic ecosystem throughout the different stages of their lifecycles. Winter hibernation and their primary food source both stem from and depend on the aquatic environment. When conditions are unsafe or unsuitable they have the unique ability to leave the pond in order to find more suitable conditions. So the next time you hear that frog, be comforted in knowing that you have a healthy pond close by.
