Main Characteristics

Spring Peepers are coloured tan, brown, olive green or grey and females are generally lighter coloured and slightly larger than males. They have a dark X shaped marking on their back but sometimes this is indistinct.

They are small frogs and they grow between 2 and 3.5 cms (0.75 - 1.5 inches) in length. They are agile climbers and they have large toe pads which assist them in doing so.

Spring Peepers are nocturnal and in very cold weather they will hibernate under logs or loose bark. They belong to a family known as "Chorus Frogs" and their distinct call is a sign that spring is underway.

Habitat

Spring Peepers are found through out South East Canada and Eastern USA. They inhabit woodland and swamp areas with permanent or temporary ponds.

Diet

The diet of a Spring Peeper mainly consist of small insects such as small spiders, ants and water bugs.

Breeding

In the southern part of their range breeding takes place from October to March, but in the northern part of their range they breed between March and June.

800 - 1000 eggs are laid in shallow ponds and they hatch within 6 - 12 days. The tadpoles metamorphose during July but it isn't until the Spring Peeper reaches 3 years of age that it is ready to breed.

Predators

The main predators of Spring Peepers are snakes, skunks and larger frogs.

Subspecies

There are two subspecies of Spring Peeper:

Northern Spring Peeper
(Pseudacris crucifer crucifer)
They are found through out South East Canada and Eastern USA.

Southern Spring Peeper
(Pseudacris crucifer bartramiana)
They are limited to Northern Florida and Southern Georgia. They are very similar to the Northern Spring Peeper except they have a strong dark marking on their underside.

Interesting Facts

Spring Peepers are also known as:
Pinkletinks