Still Abundant (and in trouble)

Bullfrog Tadpole from the Wetland, September 11, 2021

I used a small dipnet today to get a sample of who's still in the water. With a couple of swipes of a 10" aquarium net I came out with more than a dozen tadpoles. The one above was the best example of a bullfrog tadpole, evidenced by the mottled pattern predominantly along the top of its tailfin with very little on the lower side.  In contrast, the green frog tadpole below shows a very uniform mottling on both the top and bottom of the tailfin as well as across its entire body.  The majority of the tadpoles I looked at today were green frog tadpoles. I plan to look again to see if there may be other species left behind, but because these two species require two or more seasons to develop, they are guaranteed in trouble as the wetland dries up. And there are LOTS of them in the wetland. As I walk through they scatter by the dozens ahead of my steps and plunge back into the silt to hide. They will not be successful in adding to the next generation for their species, but they won't go to waste either. There are plenty of hungry creatures that will take advantage of what will become like the proverbial "fish in a barrel" situation. For raccoons and others it will become an easy buffet.

Green Frog Tadpole from the Wetland, September 11, 2021


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