Blanchard’s Cricket Frog Survey

We need your help to find Blanchard’s cricket frogs in Minnesota!

What is a Blanchard's cricket frog?

a blanchard's cricket frog sitting on a leaf

The Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris blanchardi) is Minnesota’s only endangered amphibian species. Historically, they had a patchy distribution in Minnesota, with populations reported in the extreme southwestern and southeastern corners of the state. In the 1960s, their populations declined drastically for unknown reasons, and they were thought to be extirpated (locally extinct) from the state.

In the 1990s a group of community scientists found two very small populations of Blanchard’s cricket frogs. For the next 20 years, these were the only known locations of Blanchard’s cricket frogs in Minnesota.

In the mid-2010s, DNR biologists and partners began discovering new, small populations of Blanchard’s cricket frogs throughout their historic range in Minnesota. Hope for the future of the Blanchard’s cricket frog hopped back onto the scene and the Nongame Wildlife Program increased efforts to document and understand the recovery of this rare amphibian.

How can I get involved in the survey?

This is where you come in! We are seeking volunteers to help us search for Blanchard’s cricket frogs. We are looking for new populations and hoping to learn more about their distribution and ecology in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Cricket Frog Survey runs from May to early July. We need volunteers to visit suitable Blanchard’s cricket frog habitat, listen carefully for frogs calling, and record data in an app created by HerpMapper.

If you are interested in participating, start by signing up for a HerpMapper account. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to access the Minnesota Cricket Frog Survey page. The survey webpage has detailed instructions, a map of potential survey locations, best times to listen for cricket frogs and other useful information.

The Minnesota Cricket Frog Survey is a collaborative community science project run by the MN DNR Nongame Wildlife Program, HerpMapper, the Amphibian and Reptile Survey of Minnesota, and you. Community scientists were the ones who discovered that Blanchard’s cricket frogs were still present and/or had re-established in Minnesota, and with your help we can keep learning more about this species.

Frequently asked questions

How do I sign up?

Register for a free account with the Minnesota Amphibian and Reptile Survey.
Download the free MobileMapper data collection app. Instructions available here: MobileMapper App installation instructions
Log in to your new account and access the project webpage for more instructions and information.

Is the survey app free?

Yes!

What if I don’t hear Blanchard’s cricket frogs?

If you conduct surveys and DO NOT hear Blanchard’s cricket frogs it is still very important that you submit your data. This might sound odd, but “negative data” (instances where the species of interest was not found) gives scientists valuable information about what locations they might not be using and what affects our ability to hear or “detect” them. We can learn things about what habitat features are important for cricket frogs as well as other valuable insights from this type of report.

Where can I get help if I’m having difficulty using the app or have other questions?

Please email [email protected]

How long does a survey of one location take?

Volunteers should listen at each spot for at least 5 minutes. Depending on the location you choose your survey may not take much more than 5-10 minutes, or you may spend more time walking to the area you plan to listen.

How often do I have to survey?

There are no minimum requirements for participating in this survey. You can listen and let us know what you hear as frequently or infrequently as you wish. To maximize your chances of hearing frogs if they are present, we recommend surveying the same site(s) 1-2 times a week during the height of the breeding season when conditions are suitable.

When do the surveys need to occur?

The breeding season for Blanchard’s cricket frogs is usually between late May and early July depending on environmental conditions. Surveys should be conducted between a half hour before sunset to midnight on the warmest and most humid evenings, as these are the conditions when cricket frogs are most likely to be calling.

Am I limited to surveying sites on the map?

Absolutely not! We encourage volunteers to survey any potentially suitable habitat that legal and safe to access. Note: all volunteer surveys must be conducted OUTSIDE of the “off limits” areas indicated on the map where existing studies are occurring. If you want to survey on private property, make sure to get permission first.

What if I don’t know how to identify frogs by sight or by their calls?

The Blanchard’s cricket frog call is very easy to learn and is unlike any other frog call in Minnesota – it sounds like two ball bearings or stones being clicked together. The Amphibian and Reptile Survey of Minnesota has species profiles, including recordings of calls, to help you learn to ID all of Minnesota’s frogs and toads: Frogs and Toads of Minnesota - Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey

Why are you looking for Blanchard’s cricket frogs now?

Amphibians are often studied by biologists as important indicators of the overall health of an ecosystem (bioindicators). Blanchard’s cricket frogs’ role as bioindicators, members of our shared natural heritage, and their extreme rarity in Minnesota on the edge of their current continental range means it is our responsibility to contribute to the understanding and protection of this species.

Because this species is listed as endangered in Minnesota, the DNR has a regulatory responsibility to research and understand where it exists in the state and how to protect it from harm.

Can children volunteer to survey?

Frog surveys are a fun activity for families! Children may accompany legal guardians but should not conduct this survey alone.

Learn more about Blanchard's cricket frogs

Blanchard’s cricket frogs are members of the treefrog family. They’re one of Minnesota’s smallest frogs, usually measuring less than 1 inch in size. They vary in coloration and appearance; many are a mottled brown, while others are a green or light tan. Most Blanchard’s cricket frogs have a bumpy looking back with a darker colored triangle between their eyes and dark bands on their back legs.

They live in a wide variety of habitats, some of which are surprising for a tiny treefrog. While many frogs in Minnesota prefer fishless wetlands or high-quality aquatic habitats, Blanchard’s cricket frogs are known to occur in a number of potentially unexpected areas. They have been found in big rivers and big river backwaters, standing water on mined and quarried sites, small meandering prairie streams with oxbows, cattle ponds with active grazing, and stormwater ponds. They are also present in the more “typical” frog habitats of emergent marshes and lakes and ponds.

Learn more about cricket frogs: