The spring peeper frog is mostly tan, or brown, and the females are typically lighter in color and the males have distinctly darker throats. An “X” pattern is present on their backs, formed by the intersection of dark lines on their skin. They are relatively small, only 1-1.5 inches in length and can weigh less than a pound.

The spring peeper has a vocal sac that expands when they make their peeping sound; interestingly, only male spring peepers are able to make the noise they are named after and they use it to attract females during the mating season.

The spring peeper’s southern population can be found from Texas to Florida, while the northern populations call anywhere from Mississippi to the rest of the United States home, as well as parts of Canada. 

They tend to be found in grassy and wooded areas located within reach of swamps, lakes, ponds, and other locales with an abundance of water. Spring peepers hibernate in the winter and make their dens out of logs, mud, or underneath the bark of trees.

Spring peepers are what is known as “nocturnal insectivores”, and it is exactly what it sounds like- they wait until after the sun goes down to hunt and capture their insect prey. Adults will typically eat ticks, beetles, ants, flies, spiders, and pillbugs. Tadpoles will feed on algae and microorganisms.

Eggs clusters belonging to the spring peeper can contain as many as 900-1000 eggs each! Females search out their mates by listening out for whoever has the loudest and quickest calls. Some males of the species are referred to as “satellite males” and instead of making the peeping sounds themselves, lie in wait for the female to approach for the one making the call before pouncing on her himself. 

The tadpoles spend a couple of months under water before undergoing a metamorphosis and emerging as a fully fledged frog.

The spring peeper has an amazing adaptation that can allow them to survive after spending as many as 3 days completely frozen, even to the point that their hearts stop. Their liver produces an excess amount of glucose that has the ability to act as a sort of “antifreeze” in their blood. The frog suffers little side effects other than needing a period of time to heal.