Amphibian
Northern Cricket Frog
Acris crepitansAlso known as Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern cricket frogs are tiny, non-climbing tree frogs famous for their loud breeding calls, which sound remarkably like marbles clicking together in rapid succession. When startled along a muddy shoreline, they execute zig-zagging leaps over a meter long into open water before immediately circling back to the bank. Males call day and night from late spring through midsummer, floating among duckweed or perching on half-submerged mats of vegetation.
AmphibianWetlandVocal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMidges, Mosquitoes, Water striders
Predators
- Garter snake
- Green heron
- Largemouth bass
ThreatsWetland drainage, agricultural runoff, water pollution, and chytrid fungus
HabitatsEdges of permanent ponds, sluggish streams, marshes, and drainage ditches
Life span1–2 years
Classification
- OrderAnura
- FamilyHylidae
- GenusAcris
- SpeciesAcris crepitans
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a dark triangle between the eyes and rough, warty skin without expanded toe pads.
- Support conservation
- Maintain clean shoreline buffers, avoid trampling bank vegetation, and never transport individuals between water bodies.
Responsible observation
- Listen carefully: Trace the metallic, rhythmic clicking call along open, sunny shorelines.
- Watch your step: Walk slowly along pond edges to spot them before their explosive zig-zag jumps into water.
- Minimize skin contact: Amphibian skin readily absorbs oils and lotions, so observe without handling.
Predator Patrick Coin (Patrick Coin) / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Neighbor "Green Frog" by AER Wilmington DE is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) evangrimes, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sam Kieschnick · cc-by
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Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Northern Cricket Frog is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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