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How to Get Wood Frogs

The wood frog, or the amphibian Rana sylvatica, is common throughout the coniferous, deciduous and coastal forests of North America. Identified by a burglar's mask across its eyes to the ears, the wood frog is the only frog that can survive in the hot climate of states like Georgia as well as north of the Arctic Circle, in the frigid spruce forests of Canada and Alaska. If you want to use some of these frogs to feed a snake, populate an aquarium or just for sport, finding some wood frogs shouldn't be as difficult as you may think.

Instructions

- 1
  Familiarize yourself with how the wood frog looks, so you can identify one when you spot it. Aside from the burglar's mask, the adult wood frog weighs between 5 and 30 grams and measures between 3 and 7 cm long. Its belly is white and the rest is a tan or olive-drab color with patterns such as darker green bands or spots. Two "dorsolateral ridges" run down both sides of its back.
- 2
  Look in early spring for the wood frog's dark brown tadpoles near the shores of bodies of water. This includes lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and ditches. This is an indication of places to look later in spring and summer.
- 3
  Look through underbrush or on logs in the woods near bodies of water. In summer, wood frogs move relatively far into the woods from their spawning waters, according to the University of Rhode Island, so you can find them for miles away from water too.
- 4
  Search during the day, when wood frogs are most active.
- 5
  Turn over rocks and logs to find the homes of wood frogs during winter hibernation. Be careful, though: You might find a snake's hibernation spot instead.
- 6
  Purchase wood frogs from an online vendor of amphibians or various pet shops.

Animals & Science