![]() After spawning, the adults usually stay in the water until April, when the weather is warmer, and then live on the land. The spawn sinks to begin with, but soon swells and rises to the surface. The jelly around each egg swells up, so protecting the egg and helping to keep it warm. ![]() The female releases about 2,000 eggs into the shallow parts of the pond, and, as they leave her body, the male releases his sperm over them. The male frog develops thick pads of rough skin on his thumbs, which enable him to grip the slippery female firmly whilst mating. The males usually arrive first, usually in February or March, but often January in the south-west of England and begin croaking loudly to attract the females. After their winter hibernation, frogs emerge to migrate to breeding ponds, returning, if possible, to the places where they themselves were hatched. They can take in sufficient oxygen through their skin during hibernation under the water.īreeding: A frog is ready to breed at about two years old. Males often hibernate in the bottom of ponds, so that they are already at the breeding site when the females arrive in the early spring. under a log, or in the muddy bottoms of ponds. Like all amphibians, it is hard for them to find food during the winter, and they cannot function in cold temperatures, so from about mid-October they hibernate in a sheltered place on land e.g. On summer days, they like to hide amongst tall plants and come out on warm, damp evenings to hunt. The fully-webbed hind feet help them to swim.ĭiet: Frogs eat insects and other invertebrates, such as slugs, snails and worms. A male common frog is slightly smaller than the female, which measures about 7.5cm (3in.).įrogs move by hopping or leaping, using their long, muscular back legs they do not crawl. This frog has a distinctive dark patch behind its eye. The underside is normally paler, and the whole body is blotched or spotted with a darker colour, which helps to camouflage it against its background. The body colour varies widely, with upper parts usually brown or olive, but sometimes yellowish- orange or grey. It may be found in open woods, hedgerows, fields and gardens, not too far from water. The frog you are most likely to see in Britain is the common frog ( Rana temporaria), which lives on land in damp habitats for most of the year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |