Species Spotlight: Northern Spring Peeper
Looks like: This frog is very small with dark skin and an “X” mark on its back. It has a dark eye patch and cream-colored belly.
Lives in: Moist wooded areas, wet meadows, swamps, and marshes.
Niche: Adults feed on gnats, flies, mites, and ants and are prey for watersnakes and larger frogs. Tadpoles feed on algae and decaying aquatic plants and are eaten by salamander and dragonfly larvae and diving beetles.
Threats: Loss of habitat when wet areas are drained for development. Pesticides that are either ingested or absorbed by the skin can disrupt the immune system, making peepers susceptible to disease.
Frequency: Uncommon
Reproduction: Breeding occurs all spring. Females lay up to 900 tiny eggs in wet areas, which hatch within a week. Froglets develop within a few months and emerge onto land.
Fun facts: Antifreeze isn’t just for cars — Spring Peepers produce their own to survive months of frigid temperatures. When they “defrost” in the spring, males call loudly to attract females, and pairs then locate egg-laying sites together.
