Frogs in Pitcher Plant

[SarraceniaScott]

I was out enjoying my bog garden tonight, and noticed a little frog peeking out of one of my pitcher plants -- this one is Sarracenia "Dana's Delight", a named cultivar. So I got out my camera and took a few photos. There were actually three little frogs -- each about 1.5 cm in length -- inside the trumpet. They were fully capable of scaling the waxy inside walls.

Seems like a nicely symbiotic relationship -- the plant provided shelter from predators and the hot sun, and attracted insects for the frogs to eat. The frogs, in turn excreted nitogen-rich waste which is a lot easier for the plants to absorb.

 

[Est]

Very cool. I have experienced something similar a few times this growing season. How the frogs continually get on my 2nd story balcony will remain a mystery.

Good job getting in close for a good shot without scaring off your subject!

 

[SarraceniaScott]

Think the ICPS newsletter might publish them?

 

[elgecko]

Great shots!

 

[Not a Number]

Think the ICPS newsletter might publish them?

Why not? Just remember they prefer images submitted on slide film or very high quality digital images. Normally they want an article to go along with the images. Check with Barry first.

 

[SarraceniaScott]

Why not? Just remember they prefer images submitted on slide film or very high quality digital images. Normally they want an article to go along with the images. Check with Barry first.

Shot with a Canon EOS 20D -- 8.3 megapixel. Should be high enough quality.

 

[Meaven]

cute little buggers. i wish we had climbing frogs in minnesota. we mostly have toads and bullfrogs...

 

[Alexis]

Seems like a nicely symbiotic relationship -- the plant provided shelter from predators and the hot sun, and attracted insects for the frogs to eat. The frogs, in turn excreted nitogen-rich waste which is a lot easier for the plants to absorb.

There's always the chance that the frog might slip into the pitcher too!

 

[mannyherrera]

We have those frogs as well. They hide more in my Nepenthes pitchers. The ones here are Cuban tree frogs. They can climb walls. That's how they get to your balcony Est.

 

[SarraceniaScott]

There's always the chance that the frog might slip into the pitcher too!

No, they can climb out. I've watched them retreat all the way down, and then climb back up.

 

[duckking]

Woo~ cool photo. very well. thanks to your sharing.

 

[neon-eon]

Beautiful photos! There are frogs about five minutes away from my house, although I have yet to see them...

 

[The Griffin]

Nice Hyla cinerea(green tree frogs).
Oh, and Meaven, you do have tree frogs in Minnesota. Grey tree frogs(Hyla versicolor) can be found there. As a matter of fact, I found one during my only trip there(it was behind a loose piece of bark on a tree-another loose piece of bark had a bat behind it-kind of spooky close up in the day, lol ).

Cheers,

Joe

 

[seedjar]

Very cool. I have experienced something similar a few times this growing season. How the frogs continually get on my 2nd story balcony will remain a mystery.

I used to get the same thing back at my last apartment... Three stories up, the nearest body of water was at least a quarter of a mile away, and I would find a frog amongst my plants at least once or twice a week. Now I have a forest in my back yard with a big ravine running through it, and nothing... To be honest I'm a little disappointed. ;D
Great pics Scott. It's very interesting that they are able to traverse the inside of the pitchers without difficulty. I would usually find frogs hiding under the pitchers in my own garden. I found one hanging out in a particularly large S. purpurea pitcher once, but assumed it had jumped out when it wasn't there later.
~Joe