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Showing posts from February, 2014

The Wood Frog eggs (Lithobates sylvaticus) a few days later!

The next video shows the developing Wood Frog embryos (almost tadpoles!) inside of the eggs. Trying out movement for the first time. Thanks again to Tracy Hicks for supplying this video!

Native Species Spotlight: Lithobates sylvaticus | Wood Frog

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An amazing photo of a female Wood Frog by my new friend, Lisa Powers. Females are generally reddish in color, particularly during their breeding season. One of the first signs of spring — or at least the ones I look for — are the Wood Frogs. Where I am from in Massachusetts, Wood Frogs brave the ice and snow to make it to their vernal ponds to breed every year. I can recall many times when I am out at night in the spring—freezing! ... and these little frogs aren't complaining (and they can't even produce their own body heat!) — they are just making their way to the breeding site. In Georgia, the Wood Frogs are out right now, calling and laying eggs in ephemeral pools (and occasionally the edges of permanent wetlands) Wood Frogs typically lay all their eggs in one place, so if you find one clutch, you have probably found them all. When laid, they are about the size and shape of a tennis ball or baseball, but quickly swell up with water and become much larger. Here is a

Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Surveys begin!

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30 baby Spotted Salamanders ( Ambystoma maculatum ) were released in Storza Woods last year at an artificial ephemeral wetland made by amphibian conservation staff, volunteers and interns. Storza Woods is one of the many sites being monitored this field season. Pictured here is an adult female. This month, the first surveys for the Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Program began in Dekalb and Fulton Counties. Initiated by the Amphibian Conservation Program , we hope to collect data on the 17 species of frog and 14 species of salamander native to Greater Atlanta. In time, this data could provide us with vital information on the health and status of our urban amphibian communities, as well as identify potential sites for conservation and habitat restoration. Last year, amphibian conservation staff, volunteers and interns built an artificial ephemeral wetland inside of Storza Woods (the north west corner of the Garden) and released almost 30 baby Spotted Salamanders ( Ambystoma