A Unique Creature!

WHAT HAS a large head, sheds its skin and eats it once a week, and swallows with its eyes? Gross! Did you say frog? You’re right! Frogs are slimy and slippery, but they’re fun, too. They have a remarkable life cycle.

You can hear a frog’s call 1.6 km away. A male frog, usually at the edge of a pond, croaks to attract a female. The female finds a mate of her species. She lays her eggs, many thousands of them, in the water. A jelly-like substance protects the eggs. The blob of eggs and jelly is called frog-spawn.

Frogs are amphibians, which in Greek means double life. Frogs do lead two lives. First, they are tadpoles. They live in water and breathe through gills. Then, as adults they breathe using lungs and live on land. Some are in the tadpole stage for only a few weeks. Others, such as the North American Bullfrog, live as tadpoles for two years.

Frogs are cold-blooded, meaning that frog’s body temperature goes up or down with the temperature of the air or water around it. One way for a frog to escape harsh winter temperatures is to stay at the bottom of a lake or pond where the temperature of the water never falls below freezing. The frog’s body slows down and it hibernates until spring.

The tree frog burrows into the leaf cover of the forest floor. Heavy snowfalls cover the frog for winter. The buried frog freezes hard like stone. In spring it thaws and comes back to life.

Frogs are useful insect eaters, eating harmful bugs. Large frogs eat small animals. When they swallow they close their eyes. Their huge eyes push the food down into their stomachs.

Frogs are important for other reasons, too. The slime on their bodies is a chemical used in medicines that fight eye and ear infections. Some restaurants serve bullfrog legs that are fried in batter! In junior high school frogs’ bodies are studied in science class.

Frogs measure the health of the air and water in our environment. How do they do this? Frogs absorb water through their skin. The frog will absorb what’s in the water. People who study frogs can tell whether the air and water around us is healthy. In some places frogs are disappearing. Find out about frogs in your area by going on a frog hunt.

God created every animal with its own unique look and special abilities. When God created you, He created you to be like Him. No one has the ability to think like a person has. People are also created with the unique ability to love God and take care of other created beings. Read about this in Genesis 1:24-28.

1. Why are frogs always so happy?
They eat whatever bugs them!
2. What does a frog say when it sees something really cool?
Toadally awesome!
3. What is a frog's favorite snack food?
French Flies and Croaka-Cola!

A Frog Hunt:

1. Be careful:

Always take an adult with you when you go near water.

Wear the right clothes for the weather.

Be patient and move slowly and quietly near animals.

Do not disturb the animals’ homes.

2. Be prepared:

Know what to look for. Frog eggs are found in clumps of jelly; each egg has a black spot on it.

Keep a record: describe the frog, its color, size, and where you find it.

3. Stakeout:

Watch and listen at any calm, shallow puddle, pond, marsh, swamp or lake edge.

Remember, frogs are not found in fast-flowing water.

4. Listen:

Record the frog’s call.

Listen to different frog calls on Frogweb on the internet.

5. Take a closer look:

Are the eggs floating or are they underwater?

Are the eggs attached to plants?

Do the eggs form large or small clumps?

6. Keep it up:

Don’t forget about the eggs; go back and visit every few days.

Observe any changes. Are the eggs getting eaten? If yes, by whom?

How long do the eggs take to hatch?

What are the tadpoles like?

7. Make a frog hut in your backyard:

Get a medium-sized clay pot and saucer.

Put the saucer on the ground and keep it filled with water.

Nearby put the pot upside down with an edge resting on a rock. That makes enough room for the frog to fit through and hide inside. If you have a broken pot with a chunk missing at the rim, you have a hut with an instant doorway—no need to prop it up.

Watch for night visitors!