This selection of Irish animals, native or introduced, is taken from the Appletree Press title Animals of Ireland. There will be a number of extracts from the book in coming months. The book contains highly detailed full colour illustrations to complement the detailed explanatory text.

Common Frog
Rana temporaria
Loscán

Though not thought to be native the frog is now a very common and widespread amphibian, being found from the most low-lying to the highest places, wherever there are freshwater ponds. The remarkable life cycle of the frog begins in late winter when masses of them congregate in ponds, ditches and the like having overwintered in hibernation. Here nuptials and mating occur en masse, the smaller males sitting ‘piggy back’ on the females and fertilising the eggs as they are laid.

The spring-time metamorphosis of spawn to tadpole to froglet to frog is a spectacle that has instilled wonderment in countless generations of children and forms the centrepiece of many a school nature table. Frog food is mainly small and invertebrate like snails, slugs and insects. Frogs vary considerably in colour from yellow-brown to green and even grey and are capable of changing their colour to suit their environment.

Other Frogs, Amphibians or Reptiles from Animals of Ireland include:
Natterjack Toad |
Common Newt |
Viviparous Lizard |