Description - Body 5/8 - 1 3/8 inches (1.6 - 3.5 cm). This small frog has a dark strip on it’s thigh and a blunt head. Hind leg is shorter then the length of the body. Frog is greenish-brown in color with a darker brown triangle between its eyes.

Voice - The male sounds like two small pebbles or marbles being snapped together ("gick, gick, gick, gick,gick"). The call starts slowly and speeds up for about 20 - 30 "gicks". These frogs start calling in March and continue until cooler Fall temperatures arrive. Cricket Frogs often call during daylight hours, but like most frogs prefer nighttime.

Habitat - Cricket Frogs are found around the muddy, wet edges of ponds and lakes but can also be found away from permanent water sources when they search for new territory. Rain often stimulates the frogs to move to new territory. They prefer woodlands but can sometimes be found in grasslands.

Breeding - Cricket Frogs breed from February to October and lay about 250 single eggs that attach to plants or fall to the bottom of the pond. They can survive drought by burrowing deep into the muddy cracks in the dried pond floor. The muddy cracks provide protection from drying out and from predators. Cricket frogs have a very short life span, (about 1 year), but produce many offspring that frequently travel to new territory.

Range in Texas - Found over entire State except far West Texas and Western Panhandle area.

Notes - This small frog is easy to hear but can prove difficult to locate. The most common frog heard calling during daylight hours.