A pond will attract some fun creatures. Even a small man-made pond. Immediately after the pond at my cabin was put in, frogs began arriving. One species of frog that visits is a Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris).

A word of caution. The pickerel frog is the only poisonous frog native to the United States. You may enjoy picking up frogs but leave this species alone.

Sitting on the edge of the pond, a Pickerel Frog is perfectly still, as if to say, “You can’t see me!” Just waiting for its dinner to come by. Waiting to scarf down a meal. It could be an ant, a spider. Or if a beetle or some bug or other invertebrate were to come by it could be quickly be eaten by the hungry frog.

Caught by surprise the Pickerel Frog will jump into the pond to escape a predator that might come along. Predators include birds, snakes. And of all things, bull frogs and green frogs.