Frogs of Wisconsin I had fun seeing

Shiny green frog above = Cope's Gray Tree Frog

Frog down to the left - Northern Leopard Frog

My husband and I were walking by our pond when my eye caught something green. Sitting on a coneflower was a beautiful Cope's Gray Tree Frog. The first one I had ever seen since moving here. To this date, I have not seen another. Instead, I have seen the Northern Leopard Frog (photo below to the left). Seeing frogs is a treat. We hear them late at night but hardly ever see them during the day. 

Another day at our pond, we saw a Northern Leopard Frog sitting on a rock. Frogs hide so well, especially when they don't croak. Only the male frogs croak. Their croaks can be heard a mile away. We recently went to the pond where, once we opened the car doors, the sound of frogs croaking filled the air. As we walked around the pond, we heard more and more frogs. It was a delightful chorus!

Instead of drinking water like
much of life does, the frog receives intakes of water while it is in the water through its skin. Have you noticed how frogs' eyes and nose are on top of their heads? This is so they can breathe while underwater. I have never seen their ears but read that they are behind their eyes. I have seen a frog that was on a grassy path. It was too far farm water and looked dried out. That is one of the bad reasons why they can get dehydrated and then die.


Frogs have been on earth for 200 million years. They were here with the dinosaurs. 

Frogs have teeth but do not use them when eating. They like their food in one piece. When that is not possible, their eyes move down to the roof of its mouth. The food gets squished and then it is able to swallow the food. Their diet consists of insects, earthworms, and spiders.

Did you know that a group of frogs is an army? I learned that fact and others when researching for this post. Their sight is so good as it can see all the way around them. Yes, 360 degree vision. Awesome, huh? I think so! 

We the People have caused a dent in the frog population. The Northern Leopard Frog is used in biology class. I still remember the day we dissected one. We have also killed several frogs to eat their legs. I can honestly say that I have never had frog legs and neither has anyone in my immediate family.

As people, we have taken away their land and spoiled the air they breathe. When their habitat is ruined, you can say that our habitat has been ruined. Think about when you put pesticides on your lawn. Think about when you buy a piece of land and take down the trees and pull out the grass. The air we breathe is filled with chemicals. The water absorbs the bad air and the domino effect takes over. I know I've said this before. It's a reality. If frogs can't live here, it's an indication that it's not safe for us to live here either.

The next time you see a frog, I hope you smile and think about how you conduct your life. We will lose our wildlife if we are not careful. Then we will lose our place on earth.

Thank you for visiting and have a great day!

Judy


References:

https://onekindplanet.org/animal/frog/

https://miksike.eu/docs/3klass/1kala/interesting_fact_about_frogs.htm

https://www.earthrangers.com/wildwire/top-10/top-ten-awesome-facts-about-frogs/

https://defenders.org/frogs/basic-facts