Well, while we're doing frogs . . .

[AndyS]

From deep in the archives, circa 1983. Original was K64 duped to digital and most recently cleaned up in AI post processing. I don't miss the film days. Shot from a very tippy canoe in Caddo Lake,TX. American Bull Frog. If stretched out he'd be 18-20 inches long. Among other things they eat small birds.

[RainCaster]

1. Bad bullfrogs

They are an invasive species where I live. They have been trying to establish themselves in my koi pond, and I have been discouraging them with a barbed fork. They will eat my baby koi and hummingbirds too, so they are not welcome. They have killed all the native chorus frogs on our land, and we love those little guys.

[AndyS]

3. From your profile I'm guessing you're located in Washington state.

That makes them invasive but not in the traditional sense as in being introduced by man. Welcome to the effects of Climate change. Bull frogs in WA are 1400 miles north of what was their range 50 years ago. 1400 miles north in 50 years! That's quite a migration for a non migrating species. I had a similar conversation with a denier not long ago: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218112984

So, your dilemma isn't how to get rid of them but how to adapt your landscape to them. They are there to stay.

They are edible though and quite tasty. If you're interested PM me and I'll tell you how to prepare them.

[RainCaster]

6. I kill them long before they get to eating size

Part of the Reason they arrived so quickly is transportation - they hoped a ride as a pet before being released. Like those jumping carp.
You're right, I live in Washington state.

[Gato Moteado]

7. their natural range was the eastern half of the US.....

...all the way up to canada. i don't think climate change was a factor in their invasion of the western US....they were introduced most likely via the pet trade or people out west wanting to cultivate them as a food source.

i think your idea of promoting them as a food source is definitely a potential solution.

[mike_c]

11. I was on the grad committee of a student researching...

...the ecological impacts of invasive bull frogs on a California national forest some years ago. The student's permit required that all bull frogs handled in the field be killed after their data was gathered. They are a serious threat to western native amphibians. I've never heard of them taking hummingbirds, but it's not surprising. They'll eat just about anything they can swallow.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Great photo, Andy! He sure did clean up well. nt

[AndyS]

4. I did the best I could but film in inherently less sharp than digital.

Film converts light to silver oxide crystals and then converts that to colored dye so there's no way it can be truly sharp. I don't miss film for a variety of reasons.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Right there with ya on that! Digital really works. nt

[Gato Moteado]

8. i think what really kills the sharpness in color film....

...is the fact that you have to project thru 3 layers of emulsion in the negative to print images as opposed to just 1 layer in slide film or black and white negatives.

and, yeah, i am on board with not looking back at film cameras.....i'm good with digital.

[Gato Moteado]

9. great shot!

is that duck weed he's lurking in?

[AndyS]

10. Yep! nt