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If it’s too cold, frogs won’t croak to attract a mate. But perfect temperature of 60 to 70 degrees will get them singing all night long.
Hear for yourself Saturday night at the Houston Nature Center, where the varied songs of the green, leaping amphibian could serenade children during the center’s annual frog walk. The event allows kids to get out and use their listening skills to spot the croaking creatures — and listen to a lesson they won’t find in a classroom.
Karla Kinstler, director of the nature center, said that there may be five species singing Saturday night.
That includes the American toad, the most common toad in southeastern Minnesota, known for its brown color, warty skin and yes, its defense mechanism to “leak” when it’s held.
The leopard frog is big enough to spot, but there are some smaller species that require a good ear and a lot of patience.
If you listen hard enough, you can spot the 1-inch spring peeper, that like its name implies, makes a peeping sound, and the western chorus frog, that sounds like a thumb running down a hair comb.
Kinstler’s favorite call is that of a green frog, which sounds like someone plucking loose banjo strings, she said.
“They sound way out of tune,” Kinstler said. “It’s just hilarious.”
Frog finders should remember to keep sunscreen or insect repellent off hands, Kinstler said, because the chemicals are absorbed by the frog’s skin.
Frogs face a similar problem in the wild: Polluted waters can lead to declining populations. The presence of Minnesota’s 14 frog and toad species indicate wetlands health. When these animals disappear, it could mean that the ecosystems are ailing, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Frog walk
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Houston Nature Center
