COMMON FROG

The Latin name for the Common frog is Rana temporaria.

The frog is a common name for an amphibian. Frogs are native to all parts of the world, except Antarctica, but the greatest variety are found in tropical areas.

Frogs are small animals with a body length of up to 13cm. They are highly variable in colour, but are mostly greenish-yellow to brown, blotched darker with a whitish belly. They have smooth, moist skin and bulging eyes that can see in almost any direction. They also have external eardrums behind the eyes. Most species have long hind legs that enable them to make great leaps. They also have webbed feet, which makes them excellent swimmers.

Their eggs are laid very early in the year, from January onwards, in jelly-covered masses. They then turn into tadpoles. The tadpoles gradually develop legs and their tails shrink. They develop lungs instead of gills and become adult frogs in about 3 years.

Common frogs feed on insects, grubs and slugs. They catch their food with a long sticky tongue, which is attached to the front of the mouth.