Where are all the frogs?

Actually, the issue here is one of habitat.

Frogs and toads, being amphibians, need wetlands to breed. If the area you live in has seen urbanization and development lately, then it is all too likely that the wetlands have been drained, or filled and there is now a Wallmart or a Miejer sitting there now, then you will not see many frogs or toads.

I wonder where exactly in Texas you are living. I live in the Houston/Galveston Area and my backyard alone is infested with frogs EVERYWHERE. When I try to mow the yard, I'm constantly trying to dodge all of the little frogs. Even with all of these frogs, the mosquitos are still really bad here.

They are all right here, in Ajax Ontario...

I go to a local field... to do... ummm...... nothing..... and all you hear is *CROAK CROAK*.... it must me bull frog mating season....

dot dot dot

Originally posted by MacKiller
They are all right here, in Ajax Ontario...

I go to a local field... to do... ummm...... nothing..... and all you hear is *CROAK CROAK*.... it must me bull frog mating season....

dot dot dot

It's good to know that they all have not migrated to the south. We have enough infestations here.
What I would like to know is where did all of the spiders come from? Now the spiders are freakin everywhere.

Theres no frog shortage here in Oklahoma. The pond by my house has tons of frogs. They come up to our house too. I also see "endangered" horny toads on the road all the time. By horny I mean they have horns

We are still alive and kicking! I haven't yet been invited to join the group to worship Kermit.

Originally posted by ThunderCloud
When I was a little kid, and even a teenager, I can remember going outside in my parents' back yard, or at my grandmother's farm, and seeing frogs at all times of the day and night (and especially at night, when the bugs were out!).

However, over the last decade or so (around the time I started college), I haven't seen a single frog anywhere. Outside in the yard of my current house. Outside near my apartment complex in college (which did have a lake nearby). Outside at my parents' house or grandmother's farm when I visit them, etc.

My question is -- Where are all the frogs? Have they all migrated slowly over the years south out of the U.S.? Did some disease kill off so many that frogs are near extinction now? Or something else?

With the frogs gone, the mosquitoes and roaches are everywhere now down here in Texas... I find myself missing the frogs more and more, as their would-be dinners gets to run free in my house (the roaches) and bite me everytime I go outside (the mosquitoes)...

P.S. -- I can't remember the last time I saw any lizards, either!

I think they are all in OZ. I live in Australia and around my garden at any time I can find 20 to 30 frogs.
I do know that there is a problem with the frogs dissappearing here also and that is not good.Frogs pick up very quickly on changes in the pollution levels Without the frogs there are mossies galore.
Clean up the environment and the frogs should return

Like the great blue heron issue, the presence or absesnce of frogs and toads is highly dependent on the habitat quality, especially the wetlands. Frogs and toads are amphibians and need water to breed and grow from the larval (tadpole) stage. If it was a relatively dry year, you would expect to see fewer toads. If the local wetland was drained and filled to build a walmart, you should expect to see a seady decline in the local toad population.

FYI - here is an interesting article about a study of frog depopulation:

"Global declines in amphibian population are perhaps one of the most pressing and enigmatic environmental problems of the late 20th century (12-19). While some declines are clearly due to habitat destruction, others are not associated with obvious environmental factors. Causal hypotheses include the introduction of predators or competitors, increased ultraviolet (UV-B) irradiation, acid precipitation, adverse weather patterns, environmental pollution, infectious disease, or a combination of these. Transdermal water uptake and gaseous exchange and a biphasic life cycle are important aspects of amphibian biology. These factors led to the hypothesis that amphibians act as sentinels for global environmental degradation (12,18). However, this role has yet to be demonstrated, and many causal factors may be present (12,19,20)."

frog depopulaton