Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) 
     
    
   
   
    
     Wood Frogs are usually a dark brown colour but some 
     
     individuals may be greenish or reddish. There is some 
     
     barring on the legs. Small warts may occur on the 
     
     back and dark spotting is sometimes found along the 
     
     lower sides. A ridge runs down each side of the back 
     
     and a black mask is found behind each eye. Body length 
     
     is 4.5 to 6 cm. 
     
    

    
     Wood Frogs hibernate under logs or in loose well- 
     
     drained soil and are the first frogs to be heard in 
     
     the spring. Calling begins in late April, just before 
     
     the first Spring Peepers are heard. Their call sounds 
     
     like a click. Wood Frog calling quickly peaks and then declines by mid—May just 
     
     when that of Spring Peepers is peeking. Eggs are laid in a round mass in temporary 
     
     ponds. Eggs hatch in about two weeks with tadpoles transforming two months later. 
     
     Adult Wood Frogs live in damp shady woodlands where they feed largely on insects 
     
     and their larvae., The Wood Frog is abundant on P.E.I. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     . Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) 
     
    
   
   
    
     This species is greenish to brownish with 6 to 20 
     
     large light—bordered dark spots scattered over the 
     
     upper surface of the body. Two pronounced ridges 
     
     run along the sides of the back. Body length is 6 
     
     to 9 cm, with the females being slightly larger. 
     
     Hibernation occurs in or near ponds or in moist 
     
     places on land. Leopard Frogs emerge in late April 
     
     and breeding activity peaks slightly after that of 
     
     the Wood Frog, at about the same or slightly later 
     
     than that of the Spring Peeper. The mating call 
     
     sounds like a repeated gutteral snore. Egg masses 
     
     are looser and laid in shallower water than eggs of 
     
     the Wood Frog. Tadpoles take about two months to 
     
     transform. Adults and transformed young live in 
     
     damp grassy places where they eat a variety of insects. 
     
     The Leopard Frog is quite common on the Island. 
     
    
   
   
    
         
     
    
   
   
    
     REFERENCES: 
     
    
   
   
    
     Cook, F.R. 1967. An Analysis of the Herpetofauna of Prince Edward Island. Nat. 
     
     Mus. Can. Bull. No. 212. Ottawa. 60 pp. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Gorham, S.W. 1970. The Amphibians and Reptiles of New Brunswick. N.B. Museum 
     
     Monographic Series No. 6. St. John. 30 pp. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Martin, J.L. 1955. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Nova Scotia. N.S. Museum. 
     
     Halifax. 17 pp. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Zim, H.S. and H.M. Smith. 1956. Golden Nature Guide: Reptiles and Amphibians. 
     
     Golden Press. New York. 160 pp.