I will have to admit that of all the frogs in our state, the Wood Frog is my favorite. Perhaps it is because I have encountered them more than the others, this being a terrestrial frog of the deciduous woodlands. Perhaps it is because their quacking choruses in late winter signal the onset of a new amphibian season. It might just be that cool mask on its face.
Wood Frogs are obligate species to vernal pools, meaning they NEED them to breed. Their eggs hatch and tadpoles develop very rapidly as it can be a race against time as their pool disappears. Upon leaving the water as froglets, they stay around the area for a short period before venturing into the forest, where their cryptic dead-leaf disguise helps them remain undetected. They live for about 3 years in the wild.
As mentioned, the Wood Frog is an early riser. In late March they emerge from underground burrows to begin the mad rush to find a mate. Such an early emergence is facilitated by the fact that these frogs can freeze solid. Sugars in their blood keep the cells from becoming damaged by ice crystals. Because of this adaptation, this species can be found as far north as the arctic circle!
Wood Frog egg mass: note individual "globes" for each embryo and greenish hue caused by algae. These egg masses also tend to float as time goes on, as opposed to Spotted Salamander egg masses that sit on the bottom of the pond.
