Lithobates catesbeianus
(Shaw, 1802)
Montgomery Co., Missouri. June 1974.
This is North America’s largest frog, and a voracious predator. Bullfrogs will eat anything that fits in their mouths, including other bullfrogs, rodents, birds, turtles, and snakes. Which is all well and good, but problems start when people release them where they don’t belong. California is a prime example; bullfrogs have taken over habitat and either pushed out the native frogs, or consumed them.
Like an owl’s hoot or the song of coyotes, the deep throaty call of the bullfrog adds dimension to a dark night, in a way few things can.
My Flickr album for this species is here.
HerpMapper records for this species are here.
