Rana catesbiana

Identifying Features

• Locally common, has been declining in many areas.
• Areas with abundant submerged and emergent vegetation are preferred. 
• Rarely use temporary waters.
• Tadpoles and adults bury themselves in bottom mud during hibernation.
• Adults may hibernate from mid-October to April or May.
• Love warmer weather, inactive until water temperature is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Call

• Series of bass notes, like “jug-o-rum.”

Breeding

• Breeding usually begins in mid-May, peaks in June, and lasts into July
• Territorial (6-20ft. in diameter).
• 5,000-20,000 eggs are laid in a large free-floating mass.

Development

• Hatch in 3-6 days.
• May transform in 2 years, but many take up to 3 years.
• Sexual maturity is 2-4 years after transformation.

Conservation Note

• Lakeside residential developments often lead to removal of shoreline and submerged vegetation, and heavy recreational use disrupts Bullfrog reproductive activities.
• Heavily collected for restaurant and biological supply.
• Unlikely that this species can survive intense exploitation for commercial or even personal use due to the extended time needed for development, maturation, and slow population replacement rate.

Habitat Type

• Ephemeral wetlands.
• Permanent wetlands.
• Forests.
• Grasslands and savannas.
• To a lesser extent, bullfrogs may be found in urban and agricultural areas.