Tadpoles in the Pond in Oregon!

Are my Tadpoles Pacific Tree Frogs?

When I moved into my Forest Farm property in Oregon this spring, I discovered a BUNCH of tadpoles living in a tiny pond in my front yard.

After finding some adult Pacific tree frogs, also known as Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla) in my back forest, and noticing what looks like gold specks on the tadpoles, I concluded they all must be this species.

But yesterday I discovered this LITTLE guy/gal who is much smaller than everyone else, but already has all four limbs developed and is trying to escape the pond!

Anyone have any ideas what species I might be looking at here? Is the tiny one actually a Pacific tree frog and the others are something else? Or is this little one a different species.

Calling all Oregon herpers to help me out!

Frogs & Toads are Environmental Bioindicators

If you have a healthy population of amphibians, such as frogs and toads, in your landscape and garden, it's a good sign things are in better balance. Frogs and toads have very porous skin - and are quite small - and as such tend to absorb and be negatively impacted by environmental contaminants and chemicals very quickly. If your frogs and toads disappear, that should be a warning to you that pollutants are a problem.

Frogs are a crucial keystone predator in the food chain in ecosystems. Adults regulate insect populations (especially mosquitoes) and tadpoles keep water systems oxygenated by feeding on algae that can bloom out of control without predation.

SO, you can see why I would be pretty happy to hear and visually find adult frogs on my forest farm, as well as a healthy stock of tadpoles!