Pickerel Frog

The pickerel frog ranges in the west from much they are of Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota, eastern Iowa, through Missouri and down to eastern Texas. To the east they extend through northern Louisiana, most of Mississippi, northern Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina to the coast. Their northern range extends into Canada in the southern reaches of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The range is spotty through the midwestern states and a field guide should be obtained for the specifics on ranges in a particular area. This frog has also been spotted in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Pickerel frogs typically emerge from hibernation around the end of March with the majority of the frogs arriving at breeding ponds by early May. No fall reproduction has been reported for this species. At the ponds, pickerel frogs are usually observed in large groups in the water. Mating behavior is not much different from other ranids. The males initiate breeding by emitting their low pitched call; this call is usually so low pitched that it is often not heard during calling surveys. Males can alter their call type based on interactions with other males. Males are known to call while submerged, although this is often inaudible in the air. Calls underwater vary among populations, suggesting that under certain circumstances it is better to vocalize underwater than into the air. Frogs reproduce by external fertilization while engaging in a behavior called amplexus; sometimes amplexus will last more than a day or two, even after the female has deposited the eggs. During the breeding season, males tend to lose body mass (with larger males losing more than smaller males).

Egg mass. Egg masses are typically laid in well-vegetated areas and are often difficult to locate. The masses superficially resemble those of wood frogs but at close inspection one can usually distinguish between the two. …