There are certain signs of Spring we all look for each year that get us excited for the new season ahead. For me, those signs are;

  • The return of Robins
  • Buds on trees
  • The sprouting of my tulips and daffodils

Fake Spring has made some of the signs appear earlier than normal, but today I learned there is one sure way to know real spring is very near, and that is hearing the song of the Spring Peepers in Illinois!

What Is a Spring Peeper?

According to The National Wildlife Federation;

Spring peepers are small tree frogs. Their bodies have smooth skin in shades of tan, brown, green, or gray, with lines that form an X-shaped pattern on their backs.

Here is what they look like...

USGS.gov
USGS.gov
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And here is what a Spring Peeper sounds like...

Am I the only one that hears those sounds every Spring and never knew until today that it was actually coming from frogs?!? (Go ahead and judge my ignorance, I deserve it).

Spring Peepers can be found all over Illinois and Wisconsin, and reconnectwithnature.org says;

In northern Illinois, the chorus of peeps from these frogs typically begins in early spring, sometimes starting in March but more often in April and early May. The calls are most often heard on warm, wet nights

If there are not a lot of trees or bodies of water near your home, you are less likely to hear the nightly serenade of Spring Peepers because they hide out in trees and need to lay their eggs on water. Besides their sweet mating sounds, Spring Peepers also play a vital role in cutting down the population of insects that will swarm us in the summer, because they eat any insect they can find, and now I love them even more!

Have you heard the song of the Peepers yet? Keep listening!

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