Song of the frogs

Summer nights are enchanting not only with their mild temperatures. Those who live near a water body can enjoy the frogs singing.

They can start as early as late afternoon, and later, with the sunset, the show is in full swing. The orchestra doesn’t skimp on either voices or volume. The longer they sing, the more passion develops, the more diversity we hear.

But sometimes we find it strange that the show stops so abruptly. What happened? Is there a reason?

The frogs’ song depends a lot on the animals’ energy levels. If one frog starts, the others can’t resist singing too. Because singing is a sign of strength, territorial defense, and sexual attraction. Simply put, whoever sings the loudest must be the strongest and thus has better genetic material for the next generation. But the end of the song comes faster than you think when a predator, a water snake, for example, passes by. It was advisable not to croak at that moment of danger, because the movement of the vocal sac could reveal the frog’s position to the snake. In other words, whenever survival is more important than singing, frogs take the most important decision and stop. They also stop in cold water and air, because singing consumes a lot of energy, and amphibians need environmental energy for their well-being.

Those who have had the time and patience to watch a frog concert may have noticed that external sounds can trigger frog singing. Often it’s a passing airplane that is answered by aquatic amphibians. But people can also orchestrate a pond. It’s easy. Giving a round of applause before the show makes the frogs start singing. Try it! Especially by the edge of a biological pool.