DESCRIPTION: Our largest frog, 3 to 8 inches long. Resembles the Green Frog, but lacks the fold of skin from the eardrum down each side of the back. Throat color is yellow in males, white in females.

Photo © Jim Harding

HABITAT: Permanent waters; lakes, ponds, river backwaters. Needs warm waters with abundant plant growth.

BREEDING: June-July, in ponds and lake edges. Large floating egg masses may contain 5000 to 10,000 eggs. Tadpoles need 2 to 3 summers before becoming frogs.

VOICE: A deep, low, rumbling croak, often written as "jug o rum!"

RANGE AND STATUS: statewide, but numbers have been reduced locally due to over-harvesting for "frog legs." Now rare over much of state.