Today I woke to find five large wood frog egg masses and two small egg masses. While the Easter rabbit didn’t visit, the Easter Frog left many eggs, and I share them here with you. I think this vernal pool is for the more elite frog, andthe other vernal pool where the deer drink and play is more of a tumble down neighborhood. So far the frogs have wisely avoided it for leaving eggs. I was worried when the deer splashed in, \that they’d trample the amphibians, but that’s a story for another day. The water is crystal clear, and in the center bottom of the first photograph you’ll find a small curved egg mass. Then see how many egg masses you find in the next photographs.
This stick has four larger egg masses attached to it, two are deeper in the water, and two float on the top. The water is about two feet deep.
Vernal pools have low oxygen, no fish, and usually are dry by the end of the year. Life is etheral, brief and always interesting. I always hope for lots of spring rain or snow melt, so pools start off deep, so eggs have enough time to hatch. While new life grows here, fro insect larvae to fairy shrimp, it’s a also a place that predators will visit as a food source, as well as for a drink.
Happy Easter. Hope you enjoy hunting for the egg masses!
Elaine Reardon 