Facts about Pickerel Frogs

1. 07

   Agricultural runoff and siltation degrade pickerel frog populations by clouding water clarity and reducing the calcium-rich wetland conditions these frogs require for survival.

   Pickerel FrogsMay 14sharehabitatecologyconservation
2. 06

   Pickerel frogs can leap up to 6 feet horizontally when escaping predators, a remarkable distance relative to their diminutive 1.5 to 3 inch body length.

   Pickerel FrogsMay 14sharelocomotionbehaviormeasurement
3. 05

   Tadpoles of pickerel frogs develop in shallow water and metamorphose within 2 to 3 months, allowing them to complete their life cycle before summer wetlands dry up.

   Pickerel FrogsMay 14sharelifecycledevelopmentadaptation
4. 04

   Pickerel frogs inhabit cool, clean wetlands with calcium-rich water and prefer elevations below 4,000 feet across eastern North America from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

   Pickerel FrogsMay 14sharehabitatgeographydistribution
5. 03

   Breeding choruses of pickerel frogs produce a low, snoring call during spring months that can be heard up to 100 feet away in wetland habitats.

   Pickerel FrogsMay 14sharebehaviorvocalizationreproduction
6. 02

   Pickerel frogs secrete toxic skin alkaloids that can irritate mucous membranes, making them unpalatable to most predators despite their small size of 1.5 to 3 inches.

   Pickerel FrogsMay 14sharedefensebiologychemistry
7. 01

   Two rows of spots running down the back characterize pickerel frogs, distinguishing them from similar leopard frog species in North America.

   Pickerel FrogsMay 14sharebiologyidentificationanatomy