Nearly all frog species reproduce by laying eggs. If you are a new frog pet owner, knowing what the frog eggs look like will help you easily identify them when your froggy lays them in different environments.
What do frog eggs look like? Frog eggs are usually small, round, and transparent gel-like globules with a black spot in the middle that represents the growing embryo. The eggs are generally a few millimeters in diameter. The eggs are usually laid in clusters and can be found in different water bodies.
Below, you will discover more details about what frog eggs look like. We will discuss how the eggs appear in different situations including in pools, ponds, water, swimming pool, before they hatch, and so on.
What do frog eggs look like?
Frog eggs look like small transparent globules with a small black spot at the center. The black middle dot usually represents the growing embryo.
The eggs become larger as the embryo inside continues growing. At some point, you can even see the tiny developing tadpole inside the eggs before it hatches. This is due to the clear/translucent nature of the eggs.
The size of these eggs varies from species to species, though they are generally quite small (a few millimeters in diameter).
The eggs are usually laid in clusters or masses, or in gelatinous masses of numerous eggs stuck together and are collectively referred to as frogspawn.
Frog eggs are often laid in moist areas on land or in a wide variety of water bodies such as streams, ponds, etc. Some frog eggs sink to the waterbody bottom while others float on the surface (Source).
As for the texture, frog eggs feel slimy to the touch as they’re often covered in a gel-like substance to keep them moist. In addition, the eggs lack the characteristic hard shell of eggs, making them highly susceptible to damage.
Depending on the species, the color of the frog eggs can vary from cream, white, or light yellow, to pale green, brown, reddish brown, or black.
Most of the frog species that lay their eggs in mass or clusters have their eggs in white or cream coloration.
Here is a video showing how frog eggs look underwater:
Video:
What do freshly laid frog eggs look like?
Freshly laid frog eggs simply look like what we have just discussed above. They are small and spherical and often laid in masses or clusters.
The color and size of the eggs may vary from species to species. However, the eggs are generally small. Their color can also be influenced by the color of the environment they are laid in.
When freshly laid, the eggs may appear clear or opaque. However, as they continue developing, you should be able to see the tiny embryos (black central spot) developing inside them.
Individual eggs are often stuck together in a single clump. This can help protect them from predators, as they cannot eat mass eggs at once.
Moreover, the gel-like substance helps keep them moist and sticks them to vegetation as well as other objects in the aquatic environment. However, the eggs may also float freely in the water.
What do frog eggs look like in a pool?
Frog eggs do not change their appearance when laid in a pool. Typically, you should expect a frog egg mass in a pool to constitute small, spherical, and transparent globules covered by gelatinous substance.
You should also be able to see the central black dot in the eggs.
The eggs may stick to the bottom or sides of the pool or they may be freely floating in the water.
If the eggs are laid in an outdoor pool with sufficient exposure to sunlight, the eggs are likely to develop much faster than in an indoor or shaded pool.
If you find eggs in your backyard swimming pool, we advise you not to disturb them to give them a chance to develop. Frogs are an important part of the ecosystem and help control mosquito populations.
However, if you want to get rid of them, do it carefully. If possible, relocate them to nearby waterbody where they can continue developing into tadpoles.
This video shows what frog eggs look like in a pool (and how to take them out):
Video:
What do frog eggs look like in a pond?
Frog eggs laid in a pond look like a mass of clear, jelly-like globs with central black dot that represents the embryo developing inside.
If there are many frogs in the pond that are laying eggs, their frogspawn may appear like little ghosts drowned at the pond bottom or floating on the surface.
Inside the pond, the eggs may be floating freely in the water or they are attached to rocks, vegetation, and other objects inside the water.
As we said above, you’d want to avoid disturbing the eggs and give them a chance to grow as frogs play a critical role in the pond ecosystem.
What do frog eggs look like before they hatch?
When the frog eggs are near hatching, you can clearly see the fully developed tadpoles inside them with the head, body, and tail. The tadpoles may also move inside the eggs as they prepare to emerge.
Before hatching, the egg masses tend to loosen up and lose their spherical shape. They appear like a film on the water surface or they may even turn green with algae, depending on the environment.
Why do frog eggs look like eyes?
Frog eggs look like eyes because of the dark spot that sits at the center of each egg. As we mentioned earlier, this black spot is simply the embryo of the tadpole developing inside.
This black spot is surrounded by yolk layer, which nourishes the developing tadpole. Since the entire yolk layer is lighter than the embryo, it gives the frog egg a dark spot or eye-like appearance.
FAQs:
You can identify the frog eggs by their tiny and spherical appearance, in addition to the centrally placed black spot, which is the developing tadpole embryo. These eggs are usually laid in clusters or masses that float freely, sink to the bottom, or attach to objects like vegetation in the water.
African dwarf frog eggs look like small and clear spherical objects attached to each other in clusters or masses with gel-like coating. The eggs also have the characteristic block dot centrally located—this is the tadpole developing inside.
Tree frog eggs look like clear, jelly-like globules, with a black dot at the center part representing the growing embryo.
Conclusion
Frog eggs are spherical, translucent, and are often laid in masses stuck together by gel-like substances. They also have a tiny black dot at the center, which is typically the embryo developing inside them. These eggs are so clear that you can clearly see the tiny tadpoles inside them as they develop over time.
The eggs can also vary in color depending on the species and where they’re laid. Frog eggs can be laid in a wide range of water bodies, including streams, ponds, backyard swimming pools, and so on. We hope that you now have an idea of how frog eggs appear on the different waterbodies and how you can easily identify them.
Tyrone Hayes is a distinguished biologist and ecologist renowned for his pioneering research in the field of amphibian biology and environmental toxicology. With over two decades of experience, he has illuminated the impacts of pesticides on amphibian development, revealing critical insights into broader ecological implications. Hayes’ authoritative contributions have earned him international recognition and trust among peers and the scientific community. His unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth behind complex environmental issues underscores his expertise, experience, and unwavering dedication to advancing ecological understanding.