08/25/2026
The other day, as I was walking by the arboretum, I saw a little brown wood frog. Seeing its distinct “robber mask” markings encouraged me to look into what makes this little creature different from the classic green frogs we’re used to seeing at Beaver Lake.
Wood frogs can be found in most of the northern United States and Canada. They can be red, grey, brown, or green (females tend to have brighter coloring), with a bold, dark line near their mouth and eyes. What makes this species truly amazing is that it’s the only frog that can live north of the Arctic circle. In winter months many frogs create their own ‘anti-freeze’ by increasing blood-sugar levels. This helps them in some regards, but they cannot do things like slow their metabolism (like some hibernating animals) so it’s important for them to find some sort of burrow to wait out the cold.
The wood frog has developed the ability to completely stop heart and lung functions and essentially become frozen, while their biological ‘anti-freeze’ prevents cell damage from ice crystals. Instead of burrowing, wood frogs can stay closer to the surface, often finding shelter under leaves and other plant debris. As for their coloring, like many animals the primary purpose of their markings is to help camouflage them from predators. Look out for this little critter the next time you're out on a trail!
-Ally, Associate Naturalist
