Northern Cricket Frog
Acris crepitans

Though members of the treefrog family, the cricket frogs are not climbers. They lack sticky pads on their toes, which keeps them close to the ground in the wetlands where they live. They come in an array of color combinations, displaying greens, browns, and oranges, and are sometimes quite beautiful. The cricket frogs can be easily distinguished by the triangle between the eyes, which can be darker or lighter than the ground color, but to distinguish between the two species is a more difficult task. Both species display a variety of color morphs, so identification should not be based on hue. Northern cricket frogs have proportionately shorter hind limbs and a more broken thigh stripe than the southern cricket frogs. Also, the webbing on their toes is slightly more extended than that of a southern cricket frog. The easiest way to differentiate cricket frogs, though, is by range. Northern cricket frogs are generally found in the Piedmont and Mountains while southern cricket frogs are found in the Coastal Plain.