Thousands Of Singing Spring Peepers Are A Welcome Sound Of Normalcy Here In Texas

Here in Texas, we welcome the change that the spring season brings. While we can all recognize the unmistakable sound of cicadas come summertime, did you know there’s another critter with a similar call? Spring peepers are tiny, nocturnal frogs named for their distinct chirping noise used as a mating call. If you live in the eastern part of the state, keep your ears peeled for the spring peepers in Texas this season!

The spring peeper, formally known as Pseudacris crucifer, is a small chorus frog located throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada. Its nickname comes from the chirping call used by the species to signify the beginning of spring.

Laying up to 1,000 eggs at a time, peepers remain tadpoles for two to three months before transforming into frogs. The breeding season is between October and June, depending on how warm temperatures are in the given area.

Spring peepers are divided into two different species: P. c. crucifer and P. c. bartramiana. The latter is located here in Texas, primarily in the Southeast along the Gulf Coast. The frogs can be found in counties north of the colored regions on this map, however, their numbers are much more sparse.

So, how does one identify a spring peeper? It's easy: an X-shaped mark on their dorsal makes them impossible to miss.

Females are typically lighter-colored, while males are smaller with dark throats. Both genders have large toe pads for climbing, although their preferred habitat is the forest floor of a woodland ecosystem.

To create their distinct sound, spring peepers have a vocal sac that expands and deflates like a balloon. Only males are capable of making the high-pitched sound, and they use it to attract mates.

You probably won't see too many spring peepers because they're nocturnal, emerging after dark to feed on small invertebrates like beetles, ants, flies, and spiders. Just keep an ear out, however, and you'll know they are close, as the undeniable noise goes on day and night.

Here’s a short video by YouTuber CatchingCreation featuring the melodious spring peepers sound that you’ll hear in Texas this season. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/lXfmubmx-qw

Do you think you'll hear when the spring peepers come out in Texas, now that you know what to look (or listen) for? Have you ever seen (or more likely, heard) a spring peeper? If so, where? Let us know, and be sure to keep an eye out for another surefire sign of spring in the Lone Star State: the hummingbirds!

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