Spring peepers...those tiny treedwellers whose metallic calls zing out from woods all over the northeast as soon as the vernal equinox arrives. We have these little amphibians here in Hudson, too, notably in the woodlot down the road from the Vinyl Village. Last year they punctuated my sleep with their frenzied mating songs. Now, in May 2013, all I can hear at night are a few feeble peeps.
What changed?
Apparently, the weather. There hasn't been much rain lately and these frogs need moisture, especially small temporary forest pools, for their eggs to hatch. That's why they have been desperately calling during broad daylight, even though they usually buzz on damp evenings. Lately, I've heard a few at night, but at 5% of the level of the Spring 2012 frogfest.
Here's a nugget: the Spring Peeper frog (Pseudacris crucifer) is equipped for an early start: it survives temperatures as low as 18 degrees because it can thin its blood with a kind of antifreeze.
These tiny frogs eat grubs and flies: like the turkey vulture, they get rid of noxious stuff. They can survive nasty weather: like the catalpa tree, they know how to wait for better times.
Another useful citizen.
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| don't be fooled: little but loud |
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