Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

County List:

Rule:

Forested or Nonforested Landscapes

      (Lake or Pond or River)
   adjacent to:
      Any Emergent Wetland

Habitat List:

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Literature:

Leopard frogs inhabit marshes, meadows, and the grassy edges of ponds, lakes, and streams. In summer they may wander well away from water.

Breeding usually occurs in April in ponds, weedy lakes, and deeper marsh pools.

Very young leopard frogs tend to stay close to the water during their first summer, but adults disperse widely into fields and gardens.

Leopard frogs feed mainly on insects and are undoubtedly of great value to farmers and gardeners. They return to water in fall and spend the winter buried in mud or lying on the bottom of ponds, lakes, and streams.

Habitat: Commonly found in wet open meadows and fields and wet woods during summer months. River floodplains, Connecticut. Breeds in ponds, marshes, slow shallow streams, and weedy lake shores. Usually hibernates from October or November to March, hibernates under water or in caves.

Special Habitat Requirements: Wet meadows

Habitat: The leopard frog is semi-terrestrial. During the summer months the adults spend their time in grassy areas or damp wooded areas well away from water, but return to the water to hibernate and breed. The northern leopard frog cannot withstand prolonged freezing and must overwinter in permanent bodies of water or streams. In streams they stay under rocks; in ice-covered ponds they reside in excavated hibernation pits that average 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. The frogs come out of hibernation and migrate to their home breeding areas. Home areas are shallow bodies of water having emergent vegetation seen in lake inlets, slow streams, ponds, or overflows.

Egg clutches are laid in communal masses in the vegetated shallow water of lake inlets, slow streams, ponds, or overflows.