The green frog (Rana clamitans, aka Lithobates clamitans) is one of the most common frogs in Massachusetts, and can be found in all types of freshwater wetlands. Their coloring varies from green to olive to brown, although according to one guide book I consulted, regardless of body color they tend to have a green upper lip. Green frogs look somewhat similar to bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), but green frogs have a pair of dorsolateral ridges that extend the length of their back. Bullfrogs also tend to be much larger, with adults ranging from 4-8 inches long compared to green frogs that are generally 2 to 4 inches long. Additionally, green frogs have bumpy skin on their backs, compared to the smooth skin of bullfrogs, and have a large external eardrum. 

I spent a number of days last week doing fieldwork in freshwater swamps where green frogs were so common I was afraid I was going to step on one of them as I moved around. But they would always leap away at the last minute emitting their characteristic alarm call, which reminds me a bit of a short scream. 

While green frogs are extremely common in freshwater wetlands, they are not often found very far from water. In fact, the Sierra Club’s Naturalist Guide to Southern New England describes green frogs as “aquatic frogs, almost always being found in shallow fresh water or within jumping distance of it.” I was, therefore, surprised to encounter the individual photographed here hopping across my front yard. The nearest wetland to my house is approximately half a mile away.