A Trio of Green Frogs
The colony survives two cats, for now
While walking my dog last night, I surprised two women watching their cats stake out the ditch behind my mailbox. The cats, one appropriately black and the other black and white, were stalking the colony of green frogs that have taken up residence there. Were the women waiting for the cats to strike? I hope not!
The woman and their cats scurried as I approached, but how long would they remain away? And the cats did not need spectators to perform. I was sure they would be back.
About 12 hours later I returned to the mailbox to get my morning paper. I feared the worst. I wasn’t sure I would see the frogs.
But I was wrong. No fewer than six frogs were out to enjoy the cool morning air. Better yet, three of them were clustered together as if posing for a photograph. Because by habit I had my camera with me, I stopped and started shooting.
This summer’s experiences with the frogs prompted me to learn more about them. What type of frog were they? Ten minutes of internet research provided an answer. I had a colony of green frogs.
The Maryland Biodiversity Project tells us:
Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans) is an ubiquitous frog species of shallow freshwater, including ponds, lakes, ditches, temporary seasonal pools, slower creeks and rivers, bogs, and many other similar habitats. Green Frogs are generalist predators of a wide variety of prey within its environment, including invertebrate and small vertebrate prey. The call sounds like a sudden, loud pluck of a banjo string.
Grateful for green friends
I am grateful my green frogs are still with me. I will cross my fingers they outsmart the cats and that we will continue to get the rain they need to thrive.
