Photo by Andrea Nairn

Common Frog

Quick Facts
Common name: Common frog
Scientific name: Rana temporaria
Length: 8-13cm
Weight: 22g
Lifespan: 5-10 Years
Origin: Native

Information

• In spring males croak to attract females. The male embraces a female and fertilises her eggs as she lays them in shallow, still water – frogspawn is a familiar sight. Tadpoles hatch, and over about 16 weeks gradually change into froglets: a process known as metamorphosis.

• Is it a frog or is it a toad?. . .Toad spawn is laid in chains, not clumps. Toad tadpoles swim together in shoals rather than individually. Toad tadpoles are unpalatable to fish. Toads are not smooth skinned.

• Adult frogs eat insects that they catch with their long, sticky tongue, and other invertebrates such as snails, slugs and worms.