Spring in the Rice Fields of Japan

The rice fields of Japan are a noticeable hotspot for breeding amphibians in the spring. As the fields are filled will water amphibians start to call. It starts with a few males calling alone in the fields but turns into a deafening chorus within a few days.

 Japanese Treefrogs (Hyla japonica) are quite small frogs only a about 3-4 cm long. They are bright green with brown sides and flecks with gold on the legs and sides. They are very loud and create a deafening chorus in the rice fields.

Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica)

Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica)

Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica)

Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica)

Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica)

Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica)

Japanese fire belly newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster) are endemic to Japan. Fire-belly Newts are frequently found in the pet trade. They are dark and pebbly on the skin above and speckled red underneath. Although they are quite poisonous to eat they don't appear to have a huge impact when handling.  

Japanese fire belly newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster)

Japanese fire belly newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster)

Japanese fire belly newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster)

Japanese fire belly newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster)

Japanese fire belly newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster)

American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is a species not native to Japan and was found along the road on a rainy night. It looks like a typical ranid frog and the colour and pattern is somewhat variable. Tympanum is always as big as the eye or bigger.

American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

Wrinkled Frogs and Paddy Field Frogs were less common in the rice fields but you can find them because the calls will stand out against all of the Japanese Treefrog calls.

Wrinkled Frog  (Glandirana rugosa)

Paddy Field Frog

With all of the amphibians crawling around the ponds there was obviously things around to eat them as well. During the day you could see herons and egrets wading through the shallow waters but in the evening the snakes come out to feast. I saw my first Four-lined Snake heading towards it's nightly meal in the rice fields..

Four-lined Snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata)

Four-lined Snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata)