According to the Michigan DNR website,

"Michigan is home to 13 native species of anurans (frogs and toads). In recent years, many observers have been concerned with the apparent rarity, decline, and/or population die-offs of several of these species. This concern was not only for the species themselves, but also for the ecosystems on which they depend. Frogs and toads, like many other aquatic organisms are sensitive to changes in water quality and adjacent land use practices, and their populations undoubtedly serve as an index to environmental quality."

"The Michigan Frog and Toad Survey was initiated in 1988 to increase our knowledge of anuran abundance and distribution and to monitor populations over the long term."

Frogs & toads can be beneficial to humans. "Adult frogs and toads feed largely on insects, and destroy vast numbers of insect pests every year. It has been estimated, for example, that a single Cricket Frog an increasingly rare species in Michigan can consume about 4800 insects in one year. A hundred frogs would thus eat about 480,000 insects, a thousand frogs perhaps 4.8 million insects, and so on."

Click here to learn more from the DNR about the Frog-Man connection.


You'll want to take a look at these amazing frog photos:

Michigan in Pictures has a close-up photo of a Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor). Featured photographer Paul Wrobel writes:

"These little guys change colors depending on their surroundings and the temperature. Here he is just starting to change from gray to green."

Also check out this EyE-CaTcHeR photo by Beautiful??Things of a frog "helping" a mouse navigate through the floodwaters of Indiana! Who knew?

To learn more about these anurans, click here for results of keyword search 'frog' on Great Lakes Radio Consortium Story Archives