Identification: This 1.75 - 3.25 inch frog has a stout body and a distinctive sickle-shaped spade on each hind foot. Another distinctive feature of the Spadefoot is the absence of the bony hump usually found between the eyes of most frogs. Its olive/brown/black skin is relatively smooth with tiny scattered tubercules. The external eardrum is very obvious, and they often have two irregular light lines running down their backs. The voice of an Eastern Spadefoot resembles a coarse, low-pitched version of a crow call. They enjoy eating flies, spiders, crickets, caterpillars, earthworms, snails, and moths.
Location: The Eastern Spadefoot can be found from southern New England down south to the Florida Keys, and as far West as central Louisiana. However, they seem to be absent from the Appalachian Mountains. This frog is abundant in New Jersey and Maryland, but is rare in New England.
Habitat: This species prefers to live in brush-covered, forested & cultivated areas of sand, gravel, and other loose sediment. They will also thrive in areas of open forest. They will usually only visit temporary water to breed. A large part of their time is spent hibernating under the ground through winter. When the rains of spring make the soil damp enough, they will emerge. They spend a lot of their time underground, staying in their burrows for an average of 9.5 days at a time, coming out only to eat. When it is especially dry, these frogs will burrow 3 to 7 feet under the ground and can stay there for weeks or even months.
Reproduction: Breeding for this species usually begins in March after the rains fill up the pools and lasts until September. Approximately 1,000 to 2,500 eggs are laid in each mass, which hatch after 5 to 15 days. The tadpoles will usually transform after 48 to 63 days after hatching.
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