Blanchard’s Cricket Frog

I spent the last week in the middle of Illinois teaching kids about amphibians. In our trips out to the ponds and marsh we found several cricket frogs. The class identified these frogs as Blanchard’s cricket frogs (Acris blanchardi). This frog was once considered a subspecies of Acris crepitans, but is now recognized as a separate species. Although variable in color, the dark triangle behind their head made them straightforward to identify and their abundance increased the likelihood of a successful catch.  The call can be heard here and is best described as the rattle of a handful of marbles.