Odd sounding and looking name for a tiny frog but that’s the sound they make. Pseudacris crucifer is also one of the real harbingers of spring like the return of the Turkey Vultures to New York and Ohio.
These little frogs can make some serious noise when the males get to jammin’ down by the pond to get the female frogs attention. The cacophony can deafen you if you’re up close but the sound lets you know that spring is in full bloom and summer isn’t far behind. This picture is from our deck in the summer of ‘08. This guy hung out with us in the same spot all summer.
What’s really amazing about these tenacious amphibians is that they can almost freeze solid during winter hibernation and revive in the spring pretty much perfect. They only get to be a little over an inch long and live about 3 years. The best part of being upstate is that you hear a chorus of frogs a lot more often than sirens and horns… That doesn’t mean that you can’t hear them downstate.Open a window and listen to Pseudacris crucifer’s 5th Overture..
TK
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