Their body color can range from green to brown to gray
This photograph was taken at Bangor City Forest in Maine. Green frogs are typically found close to water, and that was the case here. There is a pond just out of frame. The green frog was perched motionless and with effective camouflage. The frog even had a piece of vegetation stuck to its head. These frogs are mid-sized, generally two to four inches (body length). Their body color can range from green to brown to gray. Their legs have dark stripes.
Shooting photographs of creatures with impressive camouflage can be challenging. You want to show just how good the creature is at blending in with its background, so you have to show some background. You also want to make sure people can find the thing! Therefore, you can’t show too much background. I try and strike a balance. In this case, I tried to use aperture and framing to help guide the viewers eye towards the camouflaged creature.
There are two subspecies of green frogs called the bronze frog and the northern green frog. When taking all these into consideration, the range of the green frog is from southern Canada to Florida and from the Atlantic Seaboard to the Midwest.
How can I tell the difference between a male and a female green frog? One way is by looking at their tympanum. What is a tympanum? A tympanum is a round membrane on frogs and toads that is used to transmit sound to their inner ear. Although it is hard to see in this photo, green frogs have two, one behind each eye. If the round tympanum is roughly the size of the frog’s eye, then it is likely to be a female green frog. If the tympanum is double the size of the eye, then it is likely to be a male frog.
What do green frogs eat? These frogs will eat spiders, fish, slugs, insects, shrimp, snails, and even other frogs! Green frogs rely on their camouflage and ability to remain motionless, until unsuspecting prey comes into their range.
A tympanum is a round membrane on frogs and toads that is used to transmit sound to their inner ear
Did you know?
- Green frogs are preyed upon by birds like herons and ducks. In addition, their eggs are preyed upon by turtles.
- During breeding season, male green frogs have yellow throats.
- Green frogs can take on darker colors during colder times to help absorb heat.
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