5 Types of FROGS Found in Sweden! (w/Pics)
Do you want to learn about the different frogs in Sweden?
If so, you’ve come to the right place! In the article below, I have listed the frogs you can expect to see. For each species, you’ll find out how to identify that frog correctly, along with pictures, interesting facts, and RANGE MAPS!
5 types of frogs that live in Sweden:
#1. Common Tree Frog
- Hyla arborea
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are about 5 cm long.
- This species has very long, thin legs. Its toes are long with little webbing, and its horizontal pupils are set in golden brown eyes.
- The most typical coloring is a bright grassy green, but some individuals are brownish or gray.
The Common Tree Frog has an interesting talent; it’s a bit of a meteorologist! Believe it or not, these bright green frogs were once used to determine if it was going to rain. They often croak loudly when storms draw near because they can sense the change in air pressure.
There are only a few species of tree frog in Sweden.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell them apart because they all look very similar, but the Common Tree Frog is the most widespread species.
You can identify it by its bright green coloring or listen for its metallic, high-pitched croaks. This little frog is so loud it can be heard from as far away as a kilometer or more!
#2. Common Frog
- Rana temporaria
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 11 cm long.
- They have a short, blunt snout and partially webbed feet.
- Their coloring varies, from nearly black to pale brown, sometimes red or yellowish. The most typical markings are a white upper lip and a dark patch behind the eye.
The Common Frog is the most widespread frog in Sweden.
It lives in nearly every habitat with stagnant water, including ponds, ditches, flooded meadows, and swamps. So if you have a pond in your garden, this species is most likely using it.
Common Frogs breed explosively, meaning that hundreds of these frogs gather together and breed simultaneously. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see the bottom of entire ponds covered in frog eggs during the breeding season.
Their unusual breeding strategy means young frogs emerge in unbelievable numbers during late summer. However, some late-hatching tadpoles hibernate over winter and emerge the following spring instead.
#3. Moor Frog
- Rana arvalis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults typically grow up to 6 cm long, occasionally up to 8 cm.
- Their normal coloring is pale brown with dark brown streaks. They have three ridges that run down their backs.
- During breeding, males turn completely blue. This coloring only lasts a few days.
If you happen to see a male Moor Frog during its breeding season, you won’t mistake it for any other species. These fascinating creatures turn bright blue to advertise when they’re ready to mate! It’s incredible to see a usually plain frog take on such vivid colors.
Although they’re less colorful outside the breeding season, Moor Frogs in Sweden are relatively easy to find. They spend most of their time on land and are active during the day. Plus, they’re not as skittish as other species, so it’s easy to get a good look.
Moor Frogs inhabit moors, as their name suggests, but can also be found in flooded meadows, lakes, and temporary water sources.
#4. Agile Frog
- Rana dalmatina
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are 8 cm long.
- This species has a slender body and long legs.
- Coloring is light brown above, with pale cream to white on the belly. The legs are banded with dark brown or black, and they have a black patch behind the eye.
The Agile Frog is one species that has EARNED its common name. This large, light-colored frog can leap incredible distances when disturbed. It’s known to cover up to two meters in a single bound!
Look for Agile Frogs in Sweden on land near ditches, ponds, and flooded meadows. They are active day and night and spend most of their time hunting for beetles, their main food source.
To recognize this species’ distinct call, listen for a five- to ten-second, high-pitched cry. It often calls in a series, with each note becoming longer, higher-pitched, and further spaced.
#5. Edible Frog
- Pelophylax kl. esculentus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 10 cm long.
- This large species has protruding eyes, long toes, and a long, pointed snout.
- Its coloring is green on the body and legs, with dark splotches roughly arranged in stripes. Its belly is pale.
The Edible Frog has the most fascinating origin of any frog in Sweden.
Although the process is much more complex, in short, this species is the result of a hybrid between two frog species that then uses cloning to reproduce!
I know this seems like science fiction! The fertile female offspring of a Pool Frog and a Marsh Frog can reproduce without using any of the breeding male’s genetic material. So, in essence, she produces clones of herself with the same DNA. Click here to read more about this interesting process called Gynogenesis.
As you may have guessed by its name, this frog is the one used to make the French delicacy of frog legs. Personally, I prefer to observe them in the wild rather than in a kitchen. 🙂
If you need additional help identifying frogs in Sweden, check out this field guide!
Do you want to learn more about animals in Sweden?
Check out these other ID Guides!
- The 30 MOST Common Birds Found in Sweden!
- The 3 Types of Snakes That Live in Sweden! (ID Guide)
- 35 Amazing ANIMALS to see in Sweden! (ID guide w/ pics)
- The Incredible LIZARDS that live in Sweden
Which of these frogs have you seen before in Sweden?
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