Identification of Frog Eggs

Frogs lay many eggs because only a few of them will survive to adulthood.

Frogs breed when water and air temperature are just right. Female frogs lay eggs from spring to early summer. Depending on the species, frogs can lay up to 8,000 eggs. The aggregate of eggs is known as frog spawn.

Appearance

Frog eggs are laid in clumps and are surrounded by a protective, gelatinous substance. Each frog egg in the mass is clear in color and contains a black speck, which is the embryo that will grow inside the egg, and then hatch as a tadpole.

Location

Frog eggs are found in creeks, small lakes, ponds, wetlands, and sometimes in drainage ditches. Frogs lay eggs in calm, shallow water. Frog eggs float in the shallow water in large, slippery masses, making it more difficult for predators to get hold of them and eat them.

Varieties

Some frogs lay eggs in large clumps, whereas others lay eggs in long strings that attach to vegetation. Frog eggs vary in size and can be cylindrical or globular in shape. If frog eggs die inside, they turn white.

References

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: A Guide to Frog Egg Identification and Metamorphic Timing
• Backyard Nature: Frog Reproduction
• Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency: The Frogs and Toads of Tennessee
• Frogland! All About Frogs: Life Cycle of a Frog