American bullfrogs

If you've ever checked a pond for tadpoles and saw huge six-inch beasties, they were likely young American bullfrogs. Like all tadpoles, bullfrog tadpoles live in the water. They face many predators, including fish, snakes, and birds. As they grow, the torpedo-shaped tadpoles sprout legs and lose their tails. In two to four years, the tadpoles emerge from the water as fully-formed bullfrogs.Bullfrogs are amphibians, a group of animals that includes frogs, toads, and salamanders. Amphibians spend their entire lives in or near water. Bullfrogs live in freshwater ponds, lakes, and marshes. Males stake out their territory and guard it against other males—wrestling rivals to

defend their turf.

The male bullfrog's call is distinctive—deep and loud. Jug-o-rum, jug-o-rum, it calls. Some people think it sounds like a cow mooing, which is why the frog has "bull" in its name. Walking through a marsh or near a pond, you might hear a whole chorus of these calls as male bullfrogs let other bullfrogs where their territory is. Bullfrogs eat all kinds of insects, mice, snakes, fish, and other small creatures. They hunt at night, waiting patiently until they see something pass by that they figure would make a good meal. Then, with a powerful leap, they lunge at their prey with their mouths wide open. Gulp! Down the gullet the unlucky (but tasty!) critter goes.

Bullfrogs like warm weather. When it turns cold, they dig down into mud to hibernate. Once the warm weather returns, they emerge from under the mud.

FAST FACTS
The scientific name of the American bullfrog is Rana catesbeiana. Frogs and toads look similar. Toads belong to the frog family, so technically, while all toads are frogs, not all frogs are toads.One way to tell frogs and toads apart is by their skin. Toads have dry skin that is bumpy. Frogs have moist skin that is smooth. There are more than 4,000 species of frogs.The largest frog in the world is called the Goliath frog. It lives in West Africa. It is about 12 inches (30 Frogs can be noisy. They make many different noises, and are often named after the sounds they make. For example, barking tree frogs sound like a pack of dogs barking while on a hunt. A carpenter frog sounds like carpenters hammering nails. American bullfrogs can reach eight inches (20 centimeters) in length and over three Some people eat bullfrogs. American bullfrogs usually are shades of green or brown with darker blotches and a light-colored underside. A bullfrog's deep-pitched call can be heard from more than a quarter-mile away.