Wood Frog Eggs

A trip to the vernal pool yesterday revealed masses of wood frog eggs. These eggs can often be found in vernal pools. Here's what they look like:

Do you see the little black circles? Those will get longer over the next few weeks, and slowly develop into tiny tadpoles that look like this.

Over the rest of the spring, the tadpoles will grow. Eventually they will become tiny froglets.

Wood frogs are pretty common in Pennsylvania. A full-grown wood frog is shown below. Do you notice the robber's mask?

Lotic Water Habitats

What does the word lotic mean? Bodies of water that are lotic are moving. Rivers, streams, and creeks are all lotic.

Lotic habitats can be fun to explore. Try throwing a stick into the water. What happens? The current pulls it away from you! Investigate the current. Is it the same in every part of the stream? Are there places where the current is faster or slower?

The water in a lotic habitat is always moving. But not all parts of a stream move in the same way. In some places, the water moves slowly; in other places it can run more quickly. When water runs swiftly over rocks, it forms riffles. Riffles are often a sign of good water quality in a stream.

Do you see the riffles in this stream? Look for the water that is moving quickly.

Would you like to live where the water is always moving? There are some creatures that call these places home. Try gathering up some leaves or rocks from a stream. (Be sure to ask a grown-up to help.) What can you find? Here is a mayfly nymph found crawling on the bottom of a stone in a mountain stream. Notice its three tails.

This mayfly nymph is only about 2 centimeters long.

If you find any creatures in a stream, be sure to observe them carefully, and then put them back exactly where you found them. Life in a lotic habitat is tough enough--we don't need to make it any harder!

Have you ever visited a lotic habitat? What did you notice?

First Flowers of Spring

What kinds of flowers can you find in the spring? Springtime ephemerals are flowers that bloom for a short time. These flowers take advantage of the sunny days in the forest. They bloom before the leaves come out on the trees.

Dutchman's Breeches

Springtime ephemerals are usually on the small side. But they are quite beautiful! The flower above is called Dutchman's breeches. The word breeches is an old-fashioned word for pants. Can you see how the flower got its name?