Frogg ‘in around the Fox Valley

Have you ever gone outside on a spring or summer evening and listened to the frog calls?  Would you like to provide the WI DNR (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) with valuable information on the local frog populations?

My family and I first got involved with the WI Frog and Toad Survey in Spring, 2023.  I have always had an interest in frogs and their calls.  Last spring, I received an email from the WI DNR looking for citizen science volunteers to participate in the longest running citizen science program in WI – the WI Frog and Toad Survey (this spring marks 41 years.)  I clicked on the link and noticed that there was a route available in the local area.  Now that my children are older and my husband also had an interest and past experience in frog survey monitoring, I decided now was a good time to sign up.  Last spring, we monitored along an assigned route in Outagamie and Winnebago counties.  The WI DNR provides the route, maps, and GPS locations for each monitoring site.  They also give descriptions of the location stops as well.

On an early spring, late spring, and mid-summer night, (three monitoring sessions total), we went out after dark, to the various route locations to listen, and record the species of frogs heard and their call index (ranging from just a few individuals to a full chorus.)  If you don’t know the calls of the various 11 frogs and 1 toad species in WI, not to worry, the DNR provides a link to learn, practice, and quiz yourself on the various frog calls you may hear.  We also take water temperatures at the sites where we have direct access to the water.

Data was recorded throughout the spring and summer months and then I e-mailed our data sheet to the WI DNR.  (You can also enter your data directly into a WI DNR online database.)

You may be wondering…Why is it important to monitor frog populations?

Frogs and other amphibians are indicator species.  They can tell scientists a lot about the current health of the environment.  The University of Wisconsin-Madison is undertaking a rigorous analysis (multi-year study) of all existing Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey and Phenology data with a few questions in mind:

1. Rigorous analysis of statewide and regional trends for all 12 native frog and toad species of Wisconsin.
2. Have amphibian calling patterns changed in response to changes in climate (average temperatures and temperature variability)?
3. Are amphibians calling earlier in warmer years and later in colder years? Or are

they starting to call a little earlier each year?

1. Does this depend on the ecological region?
2. Are particular species more affected by shifts in climate than others?
3. If amphibians are still calling around the same time each year, has their tolerance to temperature changed?

It is very rewarding to be a part of citizen science and my family has enjoyed the time spent together, away from electronic devices, while providing the WI DNR with valuable data.  The first night out last spring, my daughter had fun catching toads hopping across the road.  (This activity is not recommended for younger children, but it is great to involve your middle schooler or high schooler if they are nature enthusiasts.)  We also got to explore some of the rural areas of Outagamie & Winnebago counties.

We are excited to be participating in the survey again this spring and we are looking forward to new adventures, while assisting the WI DNR in continuing their research.

You may be interested to know if you can still help the frogs of Heckrodt and throughout WI even if you cannot participate in the survey.  The answer is yes, there are ways you can help the frogs at Heckrodt and the frogs that live in its watershed.  You can help by limiting your use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides in the summer months, as well as the salt that is used to melt ice and snow in the winter months.

Here are some links for more information about the WI DNR Frog and Toad Survey.

https://issuu.com/articles/45269878

https://www.wiatri.net/inventory/frogtoadsurvey/SurveyInfo/PDFs/wfts_summary_2022.pdf

https://www.wortfm.org/wisconsin-dnr-seeks-help-counting-frogs/

Happy Frogging!

Written by: Heather Weigelt
HWR Administrative Coordinator/Naturalist