WILD CHILD: Where do Frogs go in Winter?

Where do frogs go in winter?

That question actually depends on the species. Land-dwelling frogs and toads that are good at digging will dig down below the frost line and pass the winter in a hibernaculum (or little space). Some frogs produce large amounts of glucose or sugar which acts as an antifreeze and stops them from being damaged when their tissues freeze. These frogs will hide in the leaf litter, or holes in logs. These frogs will freeze solid, but thaw in the spring unharmed.

Finally some frogs, like the Northern Leopard Frog, will stay at the bottom of bodies of water that don’t freeze solid. If you are really lucky, you may spot these frogs swimming slowly along the bottom of a pond or lying on the muddy bottom in the early winter before the ice gets too thick.

Here we are at Westminster Ponds looking at what’s below the ice!

Can you spot the frog?

Written by Tandy Morton, WILD CHILD Outdoor Playgroup Facilitator