When you hear the deep croaking of bullfrogs and the sound of their big bodies plunking into the water, you can’t resist grabbing the nets and boots for a try at finding one.
Unfortunately, dozens of them can hide well in even the shallowest of marshes, so we never held their amphibious beauty in our hands. We did come home with a bucket of water and some bog life, minus the little frogs – we set them free before leaving.
Fast-forward almost two months and we still have that bucket of water, now refreshed with additional life from a pond and enhanced with organisms from a different, riparian biome.
These are not bullfrog tadpoles, just little frogs-to-be. While our photos don’t do justice to the little miracles happening in that bucket, here is a fascinating look at what’s probably going on in there.
One of the creatures in our bucket was a small but fierce little tadpole predator. We researched it on the internet and it is the larva of a diving beetle. It was fascinating to watch, as it moved around opening and closing its huge jaws, but we decided to rehome it back in nature so it wouldn’t decimate our tadpole population. This is not our video, but it looks just like our little aggressor.
For a little more polished look…
Our little bucket buddies are still growing and morphing, and in the meantime I’ve come across some fascinating videos I thought I’d share with you. Peering into the microcosmos is a stunning thing…
Journey to the Microcosmos is a stunning YouTube channel if you find yourself wanting to be impressed by what’s all around you.
I haven’t even watched all of these myself; there are so many and they all look extraordinary and beautiful. Happy viewing and enjoy the nature near you, whether you’re here on Orcas or on the other side of the world.
