Spring has been trying to make its debut — a long overdue breakthrough for so many of us. While wind and rain have their way with us, the sounds of spring invade. Some of the sound is a bit like annoying noise. We have spring peepers to thank for this. If you can wrap your mind around mating season and toss in a celebration of spring, you might make it through.

That said, the April program for Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club was "Hot Diggity Dog. Frogs!" Lowe-Volk naturalist Chelsea Gottfried stepped up with living critters and a PowerPoint filled with intrigue.  

Chelsea set us straight showing a toad and stating that toads are frogs. Really? It has to be related to the fact that both amphibians lay eggs in the water. It must be more technical than that. My years have been spent trying to clarify the fact that frogs come with smooth skin and a streamlined form. Those toads appear dry and warty. Shame on me. When the next frog jumping contest rolls around I can enter an ambitious hopping toad. The egg-laying happens in those temporary water spots referred to as vernal pools.

The frog parade began with slides showing an "X" mark on the back of a spring peeper. Chelsea had more than 10 photographs of spring peepers which really showed the range of differentiation. Still that X was apparent. It is fairly evident that Chelsea has things under control. She brought out a northern toad — happy and healthy — followed by a western chorus frog, a gray tree frog, a wood frog, and tree frogs moving through her slides and videos in between. Tree frogs are smaller than the peepers. The frogs behaved well on her arm or in her hand. Chelsea noted that the gray and wood frogs both undergo a process which allows their bodies to become frozen up to nearly 65% and still remain alive to return in spring. That is amazing defrost!

Using a frog calls' tape, Chelsea led us into guessing the type of frog we were hearing. Most of us guessed the bull frog. Josh Dyer confirmed it with his mimicry from the back of the room.

After viewing many frogs native to our area and Ohio, we were taken around the world to view truly colorful species and weird, maybe unusual processes with bearing young. The Surinam Sea frog was the most shocking with pitted places all over its back from which live young emerged. 

In closing Chelsea encouraged us to avoid using toxic chemicals in our gardens which are partly to blame for the overall decline of frog populations. She added radiation, fungal diseases, and climate changes as causal.

It was refreshing really to add to frog knowledge, especially when you learn that thousands of eggs are laid in an effort to assure continuation of species; predation takes its toll. To be reminded that frogs consume as many as 10,000 insects a season is also a sobering reminder of their value.

Watch for these natural friends as you visit water sites and when you are on your knees gardening.

Mary Lee Minor is a member of the Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club, an accredited master gardener, a flower show judge for the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and a former sixth grade teacher.