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Follow these instructions on when to frogwatch
Time of Year
The breeding season of a given species depends upon temperature, rainfall, length of the day, and biological factors for a specific locality. A species may call year round in one part of the country and only for a few months in another place, as can be seen with Green tree frogs (Hyla cinera) in Florida and Maryland.
At your Frogwatch USA wetland, some species can be heard vocalizing early in the year, as wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) while the breeding season for others starts later in the year, as Cricket frogs (Acris spp.). One of the goals of the Frogwatch USA program is to learn more about the timing of different species in different parts of the country and how it relates to the climate. Please consult a field guide for specific information about the breeding seasons of your local frog and toad species.
Time of Day
Most frogs and toads start to call about a half-hour after sunset. Some frogs and toads call during the day if it is the weather is dark and rainy. Because most species call at night please wait until at least a half-hour after sunset to begin listening for Frogwatch USA.
How Often
You can frogwatch as often as your interest and schedule allows. We suggest that you visit your site at least twice per week during the breeding season, which differs for each species. If that commitment is too rigorous for you, don't worry, because even a few visits per year will provide us with useful information.
Suitable Weather Conditions
There are times when the weather conditions are too severe for you to collect good data, because animals would not be calling or would be difficult to hear. Before you frogwatch, make sure that:
- The air temperature is warmer than 35ºF or 2ºC.
- It isn't raining too hard – heavy rain will interfere with your ability to hear the frogs calling.
- The wind is not stronger than 3 according to the Beaufort Wind Scale, or when there is a gentle breeze, such as leaves, twigs in constant motion; small flags extend.
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