What Is the Difference Between Pollywogs & Tadpoles?

Pollywogs and tadpoles are two words used when referencing the exact same thing. Both indicate the earliest stage in a frog or toad̵7;s life and can be used interchangeably. Depending on where you live, you may hear one term more than the other.

  1. Traits

    • Pollywogs and tadpoles hatch from eggs and resemble tiny fish when they are first hatched. Each has a head and pointy tail. They travel in water by swimming with their tails moving in a swift left and right motion.

    Season

    • Even though frogs may lay their eggs on land, as soon as eggs hatch, tadpoles and pollywogs slide into the nearest body of water. The time of year when eggs hatch varies from spring to summer, depending on the region where the eggs have been laid.

    Habitat

    • Tadpoles and pollywogs flourish in freshwater, not saltwater, environments. In addition, they cannot survive in water that is heavily chlorinated or polluted with contaminants.

    Development

    • As they grow, pollywogs and tadpoles develop legs and arms. The tail eventually shortens and disappears as they mature into adulthood into the form we associate with frogs. The process for tadpoles and pollywogs to grow into frogs can take anywhere between two weeks to several months.

    Prey

    • Because they are so small, pollywogs and tadpoles are easy prey for the larger aquatic animals. One gulp from these animals can diminish schools of tadpoles and pollywogs and therefore, many of them lose the opportunity to grow into adult frogs.