Genus Species: Acris blanchardi

Size: 1½”

Location: Found throughout Arkansas

Advertisement Call: Cricket like clicking sounds, like two small stones being knocked together

 

Description:

This frog is listed on the FrogWatch USA™ Field Scope database as Northern Cricket Frog (subspecies Blanchard’s).  Shortly after the Spring Peepers have finished breeding, these little cricket frogs will start up.  Although part of the treefrog family, this frog has no toe pads and does not climb much.  Notice the slightly warty skin like a toad (not all frogs have smooth skin).  Notice that there is a dark triangle pointing rearward between the eyes.  This frog is named in honor of Frank N. Blanchard (1888-1937), an American herpetologist.

Interesting Fact: A typical frog leap would be like you jumping the length of a football field in a single bound!

These frogs breed from May through July with the males calling with a single vocal sac.  The females lay up to 400 eggs in small clusters or individually.  Tadpoles will hatch in a few days and change into frogs in five to ten weeks.

Blanchard’s Cricket Frogs are members of the Hylidae (Treefrog) family and are New Frogs (Neobatrachia).  If you walk up to a pond where there are cricket frogs but they are not calling, you may be able to get them started by making a noise with the side of your mouth like you would do to make a horse giddy up.