Vern the wood frogVern

Hi, I'm Vern the wood frog - Join me and let's "Leap into Action" to help my amphibian friends survive... my thermometer doesn't tell temperature, it tells us how close we are to reaching our goal for our Vernal Pool Habitat Project. We want to be able to make as much habitat for amphibians as we can - let's work together!

First let me tell you a little about myself...

Wood frogs are two-inch, brown frogs recognized by the dark "mask" over their eyes. They live on dry upland forests through most of the year, then venture to vernal pools in early spring, lay their eggs, and return to the moist woodland for the remainder of the year. The tadpoles develop in the pool and eventually follow the adults to adjacent uplands.

Wood Frogs: Did You Know?

Wood Frog
Image © Sharon Hosko
  • Wood frogs are native to North America and are found in Ohio. They are also the only frog that lives north of the Arctic Circle!
  • When the weather turns cold, wood frogs hibernate by laying in the leaf-litter and their body almost freezes solid! During this hibernation wood frogs actually stop breathing and their heart even stops!
  • Wood frogs bodies have adapted to produce chemicals which keep their cells from forming ice which could harm them. When the weather warms, within an hour or two they thaw out and becomes active again!
  • Wood frogs love to eat slugs, spiders, worms, and crickets, but many animals (some birds and snakes) like to eat wood frogs too!
  • Wood frog tadpoles feed on algae and they grow very quickly compared to other Ohio tadpoles. They have to grow quickly because the vernal pools where wood frogs eggs are laid and where the tadpoles feed, dry up over the summer. Wood frogs need to grow legs quickly so they can climb out and find another pond or pool before theirs dries out!
  • Wood frog tadpoles can tell their brothers and sisters from other tadpoles!
  • Wood frogs need different types of habitats throughout their life stages. This makes their habitat conservation complex. Like most other amphibians the loss of wetland areas is the greatest threat to the wood frogs' survival.
  • Wood frogs info from Nature North

We send a big THANK YOU to Jeff, Mike and 1-800-mascots for their support and contribution to "Leap into Action" -- they have made it possible for Vern to visit with kids in Northeast Ohio and spread the word about how cool amphibians are and why they need our help!