Six fascinating facts about Spring Peepers

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The sound of spring peepers from a pond can be almost deafening and can be heard over 2 miles away. The sound can reach 90 decibles or as loud as a lawn mower. Put hundreds of them together and it is quite the symphony. The common name of spring peepers comes from that fact that a single frog sounds like a chick peeping. All together the sound has been described to be like high pitched sleigh bells. The scientific name is pseudacris crucifer: pseudo means false and acris locust (eg. the 'false sound of a locust' and crucifer refers to the cross or x on its back: a distinguishing characteristic. Only the male peepers sing. The loudest males attract the females but are often sabotaged by 'sattelite' frogs that do not sing but creep close to the loudest males and try to mate with the female before the singer has the opportunity! Spring peepers are on of first frogs in the spring to begin to sing just after wood frogs begin. Both species can tolerate freezing. Their bodies produce a glucose-based antifreeze. They both prefer vernal or temporary pools the lack fish that otherwise would eat their eggs. The call is made after the frog inhales air into lungs then closes mouth and nostrils to force air into a vocal sac under the chin that swells like a balloon. The air in this sac is released and vibrates vocal chords. Females may lay up to a thousand eggs annually. Spring peepers are good climbers like tree frogs but prefer to stay on the forest floor and herbaceous vegetation. Despite their sound these frogs are notoriously hard to find due to their small size and hiding in between stems and vegetation low to the ground or in the pond itself.