Rana temporaria, Common Frog

Common Name: Common Frog

Up to 10cm long, the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) has an upperside whose ground colour ranges from very dark brown (such as specimen pictured here), through greyish-brown and olive green to yellow or even brick-red. Underside ranges from white to yellow, speckled with brown. The dark patches on the back vary, but there is always a dark patch, enclosing the eardrum, just behind the eye. The legs usually have dark transverse bands. There is a prominent skin fold on each side of the body.

Eats slugs, worms, snails, and many other invertebrates on land, but doesn't feed in the water. Spends most of its time in damp places on land and moves to ponds and ditches to breed in Spring. Their gelatinous egg masses (frog spawn) give rise to tadpoles that turn into little frogs in about three months. Winter is passed in a dormant state, often in mud at the bottom of ponds.

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