A few cool pictures / stories attached.

[infernalis]

Muttly is the hybrid.

[infernalis]

A super rare find in my back yard... A native Smooth Green snake. Enjoy.

[ConcinusMan]

Oh wow wayne, awsome! Are you sure you didn't just take Limon out for a photo shoot? Did you really just find that snake in your yard? If so.... that's awesome!

[ConcinusMan]

All I know, is that bullfrog tadpoles are huge.

Usually, but that all depends. There's an interesting adaptation they have. In warmer water with low oxygen, they are prompted to metamorphisis sooner, and at a much smaller size. In cooler water with plenty of oxygen, they can take up to three years before becoming adults, and of course, much larger young frogs. I did a little experiment to prove this, by hatching eggs and keeping them in to different tanks under different conditions. In the warm deoxygenated water, I had tadpoles as young as 3 months old, and only about one inch long, turn into frogs. Their siblings, in the cool oxygenated water just continued to become larger tadpoles. Most turned to frogs during their second year as a large tadpole. A few didn't turn into adults until their 3rd year, and the process (sprouting back legs, then front, etc.) was very slow.

The small one's that turned early, were frogs just one month after sprouting their first legs. Pretty interesting I thought. Sounds like an adaptation that would allow them to survive if the eggs were laid in temporary water that was quickly drying up.


I know, old post, but I thought you might find that interesting. I did.

[infernalis]

Oh wow wayne, awsome! Are you sure you didn't just take Limon out for a photo shoot?

Big difference in size.

[guidofatherof5]

Great photos, Wayne.
A very beautiful find.

[infernalis]

Great photos, Wayne.
A very beautiful find.

Thanks Steve. First one I have seen in nearly a decade.

Usually, but that all depends. There's an interesting adaptation they have. In warmer water with low oxygen, they are prompted to metamorphisis sooner, and at a much smaller size. In cooler water with plenty of oxygen, they can take up to three years before becoming adults, and of course, much larger young frogs. I did a little experiment to prove this, by hatching eggs and keeping them in to different tanks under different conditions. In the warm deoxygenated water, I had tadpoles as young as 3 months old, and only about one inch long, turn into frogs. Their siblings, in the cool oxygenated water just continued to become larger tadpoles. Most turned to frogs during their second year as a large tadpole. A few didn't turn into adults until their 3rd year, and the process (sprouting back legs, then front, etc.) was very slow.

The small one's that turned early, were frogs just one month after sprouting their first legs. Pretty interesting I thought. Sounds like an adaptation that would allow them to survive if the eggs were laid in temporary water that was quickly drying up.


I know, old post, but I thought you might find that interesting. I did.

Watching this one unfold in person, we are experiencing a dry spell and all the water holes are drying up, so the bullfrog tads are morphing really small and quite early to compensate.

[ConcinusMan]

I wish I knew of a spot like that...

I mean, shallow pools filled with amphibian larvae... a virtual smorgasbord for my snakes. (of course, I would freeze them for a couple of months first)

I used to know of places like that but they're all gone now. Fed a concinnus pair for 20 years like that. There was no shortage of WC food for them. Now all I can find is places with lots of small bullfrogs but they're too darn hard to catch!

About the green snake... I bet even though you haven't found them in a long time, they were there, very well hidden. I've had a similar experience with rubber boas in my county. They are here, they are plentiful in some places, yet in spite of that, I've found very few over the years.

Those snakes you got there are soooo awesome. Just love the look of them.

[infernalis]

All I know, is that bullfrog tadpoles are huge.

According to the wikipedia article, their metamorphosis takes 12-24 months.

It's true.

November 26 and there are still tadpoles in a standing pool out back.

I just got one for scenting purposes with a net.

They must go down into the mud over the winter. I'm not sure how they survive freezing, the water pool is too shallow to not freeze solid.

[infernalis]

Saw this Eastern behind my barn about 15 minutes ago..

This little one posed for me before leaving.