What is a Spring Peeper
March 28, 2007 - 11:13am — ecooley
My inlaws have a pond on their property. The property is an old farm. They raised cattle and dairy cows at one time and I think the pond was used by the cattle but I am not sure. Today there is a wonderful bench to sit on and sometimes my father-in-law will stand on the banks of the pond in the summer and fly fish. The best memories are sitting on the front porch of their house and listening to the Spring Peepers. With the warm rain yesterday Anne talked about hearing Spring Peepers and she asked what are spring peepers? So I Googled it.
The Spring peeper is actually a thumbnail sized tree frog and they can be found all along the east coast both North and South. In March, when the warm rain starts to fall the males come out of their woodland habitat and sit along the banks of ponds, rivers, and creeks and begin to call to their mate. They have a pretty distinct sound peep, peep, peep hence for their name Spring Peeper.
These brown or gray colored frogs will lay about 1000 eggs on twigs and leaf litter at the bottom of ponds and then head back to their home in the trees. Mating takes place in the north from March until June and in the south from October- November. These frogs love to eat bugs, spiders, and water bugs. Their number one enemy as tadpoles is the diving beetle and as they mature into adulthood it becomes snakes, skunks, and other frogs.
I love those tell tale signs that the season is changing. I was talking to a young lady from the Philippines yesterday. She talked about their seasons. They have a rainy season and a dry season. Having four distinct seasons certainly lets me appreciate every unique gift each one has to offer such as the arrival of the mating call for the Spring Peeper.
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Comments
jeepers peepers!!!
We love peeper season here in Elk County! Sometimes they are so loud at our camp we can't hear each other speak!!! On that first warm rainy spring night they are all over our porch. Many people say they sound like sleigh bells ringing. You have to listen with your imagination. Very soon the wood frogs start to chime in with a chorus of quacking. (they sound like far away ducks quacking) if you think the peepers are cool, wait for the bullfrogs later in the summer!!! Burrrump!!!!! Susie
So ready for the warm weather sounds
I can not wait to hear the crickets. Then around the house it is always exciting to watch for the first ladybug sighting.
Clay hardens by immobility – men's minds by standing pat. Both lose the power to take new impressions. (Pinchot 1910: 138)