Frogs That Float in Cold Water

When you think of a frog floating on a water's surface, you are picturing an aquatic frog. Aquatic frogs like to live in wet habitats and spend about half of their time in the water. However, not all frogs are suited to cold water. Some frogs are tropical and cannot handle living in colder climates; other frogs, like tree frogs, prefer to live on land than in wet, marshy areas. Aquatic frogs that live in cold climates include many species, such as the northern leopard frog, tailed frog, American bullfrog and northern cricket frog.

  1. Northern Leopard Frog

    • The northern leopard frog lives in the northern United States and southern Canada. Its habitat ranges from marshlands and swamps to freshwater lakes. It spends much of its time floating in shallow water as it can evade danger by swimming away. The northern leopard frog is green with black spots that dot its back, resembling the pattern found on a leopard or cheetah. It grows to around 3 inches long.

    Tailed Frog

    • The tailed frog lives in cold streams and is found in the mountains of the northwestern United States. They are the only frog in North America to have internal fertilization. The mouths of baby tailed frogs can function like suction cups, allowing them to cling to gravel in cold streams. Tailed frogs grow to be about 2 inches long. The species takes its name from the small tail-like organ that protrudes from the male's back end. They are dark brown in color.

    American Bullfrog

    • Bullfrogs live in many areas of the United States including the northern states and as far north as the Rocky Mountains and Nova Scotia in Canada. Bullfrogs prefer to live in large shallow pools of water such as those found in ponds, lakes, swamps and marshes. Bullfrogs are brownish-green, have spots along their bodies and are North America's largest type of frog. The can grow to be 4 to 8 inches long.

    Northern Cricket Frog

    • The northern cricket frog is actually an aquatic tree frog, spending much of its time around the shoreline of ponds, marshes and streams, and in aquatic plants that border the shoreline. It is found in the northeastern United States as well as Ontario, Canada. Its skin has a rough appearance and is gray or brown; it also has a 'v'-shaped marking between its eyes. The northern cricket frog is small and grows to be only 1 1/2 inches long.