Pickerel Frog in the Neighborhood
A nice profile picture of a Pickerel Frog resting on some greenery.
It depends where you live, of course, but there is often wildlife to be found in just about any neighborhood. There are usually a variety of birds and insects, and there can also be reptiles and amphibians, such as this small Pickerel Frog. I found this one just behind some houses in the neighborhood.
Looking down on the Pickerel Frog we can see the somewhat squarish shape to the markings on its back.
Viewing the Pickerel Frog from behind. You can see some of the yellow/orange of its underside and the squarish shapes along its back.
Looking down on the front of a Pickerel Frog.
Sometimes frogs will freeze when you find them. They are likely hoping you don’t actually see them, so if they remain still you just might go away. This can provide a great opportunity to get some closeup photographs if you don’t move too fast and scare them. I spent a few minutes photographing this great little amphibian before moving on and leaving it in peace.
Facing down a Pickerel Frog.
Looking closely into the eyes of a Pickerel Frog.
Pickerel Frogs, in my opinion, look very similar to Leopard Frogs, making identifying them a challenge (at least for me). To assist with identification I visited the Virginia Herpetological Society, specifically their page on Pickerel Frogs. On it they had a great image that compared a Pickerel and a Leopard Frog, showing the key differences. One of the more obvious ones was the yellow underside of the Pickerel Frog, which you can see in some of these photos.
A nice simple mostly profile image of a Pickerel Frog.
One of the defining characteristics of the Pickerel Frog is the yellow to orange coloration of the underside of its legs and groin area, as can be seen here. Another feature are the squarish (not circular) spots on its back.
Keep your eyes open next time you’re out and about in your neighborhood. You never know what you might find.