My wife and I hear frogs outside every night, and every few minutes or

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In summary, the frogs all stop croaking at once, and Rhody suspects it has something to do with predators. He's not sure what the trigger is, but he's interested in finding out.
  • #1
Dembadon
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My wife and I hear frogs outside every night, and every few minutes or so, they'll all stop croaking for reasons I have yet to identify. Last night I kept listening for a noise, time-interval, anything that would trigger their silence; I couldn't identify a pattern. The only pattern I noticed is that they all stop at once. I never heard a rogue frog croaking on its own after the halt of a croaking session, however, I did notice that a single frog only needed to croak 2-3 times before the whole group started-up again.

Does anyone know why they all stop at once, and why I never hear any of them croaking alone? Is there an "alpha frog" who decides when the croaking stops?
 
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  • #2


something I found, don't know for sure though:

Even before the snow has completely melted from the edges of ponds and wetlands, one can hear its duck-like quacking sound, an indication that they are in their brief breeding season in early to mid-April.
[...]
To hear and see Wood Frogs, one must approach a pond very stealthily, and listen for the duck-like croaking, which can be heard for long distances and may include hundreds of individuals. If one frog sets off an alarm croak, all of the frogs will instantly stop croaking and disappear into the leaves and mud.

If that happens, stand still for a few minutes and disguise your presence by lowering yourself out of view or by standing behind a shrub. Eventually, the urgency of completely the breeding cycle will compel the frogs to start croaking again; first one and then another will sing and then the whole pond will once again be a din of frog sound.

http://www.vermontnaturenews.org/amphibians.htm
 
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  • #3


They croak like this ..OMFGSNAKE!
 
  • #4


This may apply to larger organisms than bacteria, in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quorum_sensing#Examples". I suspect there are multiple triggers that cause the frogs to go silent, with predators at the top of the list, but there may be others that are lower on the sensing end of a frogs anatomy not clearly understood. The opposite can be true as well, at a certain threshold for instance coordinated response can be observed as in the case of the bacteria in the video. In any event, the video is interesting, and IMHO, the subject fascinating.

Rhody... neeedeeep...
 
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  • #5


hypatia said:
They croak like this ..OMFGSNAKE!
:rofl:
 
  • #6


hypatia said:
They croak like this ..OMFGSNAKE!

I was thinking along the lines of "OMFGRACCOON!" (Along the same lines, but we've seen one of these around lately, triggering our security lighting at night as he heads for the squirrel-feeder.)

But is it smart to be the first one to return croaking, to get the girl in his bravado (but risk being eaten before breeding), or to wait until the whole gang is croaking, but face the competition? Hmm.
 
  • #7


Pythagorean said:
something I found, don't know for sure though:



http://www.vermontnaturenews.org/amphibians.htm

Aha! Thanks for the link.

hypatia said:
They croak like this ..OMFGSNAKE!
:rofl:

That's great, Hypatia.

rhody said:
This may apply to larger organisms than bacteria, in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quorum_sensing#Examples". I suspect there are multiple triggers that cause the frogs to go silent, with predators at the top of the list, but there may be others that are lower on the sensing end of a frogs anatomy not clearly understood. The opposite can be true as well, at a certain threshold for instance coordinated response can be observed as in the case of the bacteria in the video. In any event, the video is interesting, and IMHO, the subject fascinating.

Rhody... neeedeeep...

Thanks for the info and links, Rhody. I'll check 'em out this evening.
 
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1. Why do frogs make noise at night?

Frogs are nocturnal creatures, meaning they are most active at night. This is when they hunt for food, mate, and communicate with other frogs. Their loud croaking is a way for male frogs to attract females and establish their territory.

2. How do frogs produce their distinct croaking sound?

Male frogs have vocal sacs, which are air-filled pouches located under their mouths. They fill these sacs with air and then push it out through their vocal cords, creating the croaking sound.

3. Why do we hear frogs every few minutes?

Frogs have a natural rhythm to their croaking, usually lasting a few minutes and then pausing for a brief moment. This is a way for them to conserve energy and also take a break from the constant croaking.

4. Are there different types of frog calls?

Yes, there are many different types of frog calls. Each species of frog has its own unique call, which helps them identify potential mates and avoid competition with other frog species.

5. Is hearing frogs every night a cause for concern?

No, hearing frogs outside at night is completely normal and nothing to worry about. It is a sign of a healthy ecosystem and indicates that there is a good balance of prey and predators in the area.

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