Specifically, we’ll be talking about the American bullfrog that is natively
found in eastern North America. They have, however, been introduced elsewhere including
places west of the Rocky Mountains as well as internationally to Europe, South America,
and Asia. Bullfrogs are the largest living frogs found in North America. At full size, they average
5 inches (12.7cm) long and over a pound (450g) in weight. That’s larger than a human heart!
Like other amphibians, bullfrogs require a source of water in their habitat. They prefer shallow,
still waterways and can be found in ponds, streams, swamps, rivers, and lakes. They also
prefer warm temperatures but those living further north are able to overwinter in a low activity
state similar to hibernation. Bullfrogs also love areas with plenty of aquatic vegetation in which
they can hide and lay eggs. For all these reasons, bullfrogs thrive in human-made water systems that
tend to be permanent and warm in temperature. This has helped the spread of these frogs to non-native
places. Their introduction can be harmful because these frogs may compete with and even eat native
amphibian species. Bullfrogs are voracious eaters and won’t hesitate to eat their own kind.
Yes, this does mean they can be cannibalistic. Other meals to bullfrogs include snakes,
worms, insects, crustaceans, other frogs, salamanders, and even bats.
Bullfrog tadpoles, however, are mostly vegetarian and mostly eat aquatic vegetation,
though they may take the occasional aquatic insect. Female bullfrogs may lay up to 20,000
eggs in a frothy foam which are fertilized by at least one male. About four days later these hatch
into tadpoles. Bullfrogs may remain as tadpoles for up to three years depending on the environment
and temperature, though in warmer places they may develop to adulthood within a year’s time.
It takes up to three years for adults to reach reproductive maturity
and they can survive about eight years in the wild and double that in captivity.
Male bullfrogs can be told apart from females by looking at their heads.
The round shape behind their eye is their external ear. This is larger than the eye in males
and the same size or smaller than the eye in females. During the breeding season,
which lasts from February to October in the south and May to July in the north, females
have white colored throats while a male’s throat appears yellow. Unlike the African bullfrog, male
American bullfrogs are smaller than the females. Bullfrogs can be told apart from other frogs in
their environment by looking at their sides. The most commonly misidentified is the green frog,
but these frogs have distinct ridges running down their sides that are absent in bullfrogs.
Bullfrogs may also be confused with leopard frogs, though leopard frogs tend to be more distinct in
their colors compared to the bullfrog’s duller or absent markings. Toads may also be misidentified,
however, toads tend to have lumpier skin compared to the smooth skin of the bullfrog.
Threats to bullfrogs include turtles, herons, raccoons, snakes, kingfishers,
and more. Tadpoles and bullfrog eggs are generally avoided by aquatic predators because it’s believed
they have an unpleasant taste. They have a distinct call that sounds like this: (call)
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