Spring Peepers Emerging
Sitting on top of the snow, still as a statue, a spring peeper gathers strength to make the long trek to open water, where, if it is a male, it will exercise its voice for the first time in many months. Like the gray treefrog and wood frog, spring peepers can freeze as solid as a rock for several months during hibernation and then, on a warm day, thaw out in a few hours and resume a normal, active life. The formation of glucose and ice crystals that form outside of cells enable this phenomenon to occur. Once hibernation has come to an end, peepers seek out wetlands, vernal pools and ponds to breed and lay eggs before they return to their home on the forest floor.
This entry was posted on April 8, 2013 by Mary Holland. It was filed under Adaptations, Amphibians, Animal Adaptations, April, Egg laying, Frogs, Hibernation, Mating, Ponds, Spring Peeper, Vernal Pools and was tagged with Hylidae, Pseudacris crucifer.
Great information, no scat.
April 8, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Just to let you know how much I enjoy this – I love your book and read the chapters by the month. How wonderful to know that peepers will soon be joining the lovely sounds of the early birds! Tomorrow I’ll see if the Phoebe makes its “usual” April 9 return to my yard – always seems so soon when it does especially since we still have large patches of snow.
April 8, 2013 at 3:26 pm
Hi Suzanne,
I’m so glad you enjoy my blog. I just heard my first phoebe today — hope yours turns up tomorrow!
April 8, 2013 at 8:51 pm
Right on schedule– April 9th — 2 phoebes looking to build a nest in our eaves. I am always amazed by nature’s ways!
April 11, 2013 at 11:30 am
Appeared here the 9th, too, as usual – amazing for sure!
April 11, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Nice photo. For all the years I have been listening to peepers, I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen one before.
April 8, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Hi Elizabeth,
If you “search” for “spring peeper” on my blog, you’ll find several more photos of them!
April 8, 2013 at 8:51 pm
Wow!
April 8, 2013 at 10:38 pm
Brandon, we will be able to hear these guys from Broadway park soon. they are so loud at night.
>________________________________ > From: Naturally Curious with Mary Holland >To: vlvcap@yahoo.com >Sent: Monday, April 8, 2013 9:00 AM >Subject: [New post] Spring Peepers Emerging > > > WordPress.com >Mary Holland posted: “Sitting on top of the snow, still as a statue, a spring peeper gathers strength to make the long trek to open water, where, if it is a male, it will exercise its voice for the first time in many months. Like the gray treefrog and wood frog, spring peepers” >
April 9, 2013 at 12:26 am