In the entire world there are about 4,740 species of frogs. In the United States, for example, there about 90 different species of frog.
In autumn the frogs tend to be trying to settle down for the colder months and for winter they usually bury themselves somewhere protected (like beneath a log) or beneath the mud at the bottom of a pond.
Good places to check for frogs are: swampland, watersheds, or along the banks of streams, lakes, and ponds.
Be careful when you’re hunting frogs at night, especially if it’s in a more isolated area. Bring a flashlight and check out the area sometime during the day before you go that night, so that you can make a note of any potential dangers or problems.
Check beneath decaying logs, in bushes, and even in piles of leaves.
Not all splashes in the water are going to be frogs, however. They could also be fish, or even snakes, so make sure that you’re paying attention.
Make sure that the mouth of your net is big enough to cover the frog. Otherwise you might bring down the sides of the net on some vulnerable part of the frog. Avoid using a butterfly net to try to catch a frog. They are built for more delicate and fragile creatures and will be too flimsy to contain the frog.
If you’ve trapped it in the net on the ground, you want to put your hands gently around the frog’s back and legs. You want to be holding onto the frog’s hips, with its legs pointing out behind. In this position you can lift the frog and cradle it in your hand, while it’s still in the netting. If you’re scooped it out of the water, you’ll need to grab it gently by its hips with its legs pointing out behind it.
Avoid squeezing the frog hard. You hand just enough pressure so it can’t escape, but too much pressure can hurt the frog.
If you want a frog as a pet it is best to get one from a licensed pet store and raise it from a tadpole.
Plant native forbs, shrubs, and trees to provide foliage, nectar, pollen, berries, seeds and nuts that wildlife need to survive on. Frogs are considered a good indicator of the health of an ecosystem so by attracting other animals, you’ll also attract frogs. Make sure that there is good cover for animals, especially for frogs. Cover can be things like: native vegetation, shrubs, thickets and brush piles, or even the logs of dead trees.
Obviously it isn’t possible for everyone to create a pond in their backyard, but you can create a water source out of a low, wide trough, or pot used for planting. If you are going to construct a pond you’ll need to consider things like how deep it needs to be (if your area freezes, for example, it may need to be deeper to keep things alive throughout winter), how to keep the algae in check (barley straw is a good natural way to eliminate algae). You want your pond to resemble a natural pond, as much as possible. This means native plants, debris settling on the bottom of the pond, perhaps even a log or branch floating on the surface. A pond like this will balance itself naturally with minimal seasonal algae growth.
Keep it in a shady spot that’s close to a water source (a pond, or even a largish saucer of water).
