Pickerel Frog: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Newts and Salamanders · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. When attacked, pickerel frogs release skin secretions that irritate people and are toxic to some predators.
2. Pickerel frogs have a bright orange or yellow flash pattern on the inner side of their hind legs.
3. Male pickerel frogs give a very low call, and they sometimes call underwater, which is often impossible to hear in the air.
4. One pickerel frog egg mass holds about 2,000 to 3,000 eggs, which usually hatch in 11 to 21 days.
5. The tadpole stage lasts about three months. The young frogs then leave the pond about 2.6 cm long and nearly as agile as adults.

The quiz

1. What do pickerel frogs release when threatened?

• A loud scream
• A sticky web
• A cloud of ink
• Skin secretions that irritate humans (correct)

They release skin secretions that irritate people and are toxic to some predators.

2. Where is a pickerel frog's orange or yellow flash pattern?

• On the belly
• On the inner hind legs (correct)
• On the tongue
• On the back

The flash pattern is on the inner side of the hind legs.

3. Why can male pickerel frog calls go unheard above water?

• They are too high to hear
• They are only made in winter
• They are low-pitched and sometimes underwater (correct)
• They are made in burrows

Male calls are very low, and calls made underwater are often inaudible in the air.

4. How many eggs can one pickerel frog egg mass hold?

• 2,000-3,000 (correct)
• 20-30
• 200-300
• 20,000-30,000

One egg mass holds about 2,000 to 3,000 eggs.

5. How long does the pickerel frog tadpole stage last?

• About three days
• About three weeks
• About three years
• About three months (correct)

The tadpole stage lasts about three months.

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