Bull Frog
(Rana catesbeiana)

	BULL FROG
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	Photos by Mike Marchand:   Bullfrogs are New Hampshire’s largest native frog.  Male bullfrogs (pictured above) have circular eardrums (tympanum) that are larger than their eye.  Female bullfrogs like the one at the top of this page have tympanum that are about the same size as their eyes.
	Bullfrogs are New Hampshire’s largest frogs and will generally eat anything they can catch.  The yellow throat of a mature male bullfrog is clearly visible in this photograph.
	Notice the absence of the lateral ridges on the back of the bullfrog (above, top) and the presence of lateral ridges on the green frog (above, bottom)

NH Conservation Status: Not listed

State Rank Status: Widespread and secure 

Distribution:  Throughout NH

Description:  The largest frog in North America at 3.5-6 inches.  Color is generally green but may range from brownish to bluish to yellowish.  The belly is whitish and may have gray or yellowish molting.  They have a large circular disc behind the eye but lack ridges on the back (Green frogs have ridges).

Commonly Confused Species: Green frog

Habitat: Found near larger bodies of water such as the shorelines of lakes, ponds, bogs, and slow-moving rivers.  Requires emergent vegetation for cover.  Often seen at water’s edge sitting on partially submerged logs.

Life History: Eggs are laid singly in large masses that appear like a film in lakes and ponds.  Bullfrogs are voracious predators eating almost anything they can catch including insects, other frogs, young turtles, snakes, and birds. Hibernates underwater in mud and leaves.

Voice: A series of deep base notes resembling the phrase “jug-o-rum”. Males begin calling in May and June

Conservation Threats:  Water pollution from pesticides

Distribution map: Click here for a map showing the towns where this species is reported to occur in NH