Amphibian Marathon

Lost Pond at the Paul Smith’s College VIC is full of wood frog eggs following the amphibian migration.

Great Camp Sagamore’s Program Director

Snow is slow to melt in the Adirondacks, and piles linger in my yard. I’m on the lookout for signs of spring every day, knowing they’re on the way. On Monday, an exciting event happened in the natural world surrounding my home. If you've been spending a lot of time at your house or apartment, you can get tuned into the seasonal changes right outside your window so you don’t miss out.

So, what happened on Monday? Well, the first warm rain of spring preempted a marathon of hopping wood frogs, crawling yellow-spotted salamanders, and leaping spring peepers as these amphibians made their way across roads, fields, and forests to find temporary ponds, known as vernal pools.

Vernal pools form when spring rainwater fills low spots in the ground, making deep puddles that will last through spring and early summer. The amphibians are headed for vernal pools because there, they’ll find mates. The adult frogs and salamanders exit vernal pools after a couple days or so, leaving behind their clusters of eggs. The young will have to fend for themselves as they grow.

Luckily vernal pools are like nurseries, since they’re only temporary wetlands. Lacking fish and other predators that require deeper, year-round water, they are safe places to develop and grow. Before vernal pools dry up, tadpoles and salamander larvae undergo metamorphosis, growing lungs and limbs so that they can travel on land as juveniles.

If you missed the migration, you may still be able to hear wood frogs and peepers calling on the next warm, wet night. Just open your window after dark and listen for animal noises in the night.