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Think Small


	Think Small Blanchard's Cricket Frog Acris crepitans blanchardi (1/2 inch body length) Clear Creek Pond West Fort Hood, Texas 21 September 2010 Jim Baines
	Heart Sometimes you have to think "small", even in Texas. Jim Baines

- Jim Baines

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This little critter is one of the smallest vertebrates in North America and only one of the two species lives right here in Texas: Blanchard's cricket frog (Acris crepitans blanchardi). Adults grow to about the size of a thumb print and come in colors and patterns galore. They can be quite difficult to photograph despite being active all year. Their size alone helps them vanish beneath the smallest things, like blades of grass or a dead leaf. And jumping is the name of their game!. They can jump as far as six feet, which is pretty impressive for their size. Though the motion can help you find them if you don’t already know they’re in the area, it also means they can vanish in the blink of an eye if they jump into thick foliage or tall grass.

Depending on the lighting you may notice a certain shape on its head. Why it's a li'l ol' heart! Technically it’s a triangle but that's no fun! See the light stripe running from the eye to the front leg ... a positive identifier for these li'l guys. Considering how common they are here, seeing them is never a problem. Recognizing them is another story. Their size makes them seem like juveniles of several different species, the unending array of colors and patterns can be confusing, and their bumpy skin always makes them look like young toads instead of frogs.

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September 28, 2010

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