Ruminations on Brumation

There are a couple of 50-cent words for you. Rumination- to muse upon, to contemplate and, “Brumation”-the technical term for when a reptile or amphibian “hibernates” for the winter. To “hibernate” implies the shutting down of a warm-blooded system to survive the harsh winter climate. Here in New England, bears, bats and woodchucks are our main hibernators. But if you don’t have a warm-blooded system to start with, it’s hard to shut it down.

It seems every area of study has its “insider” lingo. Brumation is a term that herpetologists seem to keep close to the vest, for I hardly see it in print when talking about how frogs, toads, turtles, snakes etc. make it through our New England winter. Brumation- it’s a word I love to teach to young children so they can dazzle their parents with their widening vocabulary. Now you can dazzle someone too.

Brumation is the answer to the question “Where have all the froggies gone?” (Shall we, of a certain age, sing, “Long time passing”?) “Gone to pond muck everyone..” (Sorry, these songs just present themselves.)
Since the beginning of October, the Bullfrogs, that in summer line the rim of the pond at the bog, have been MIA. And wisely so, for the temperature has swung back and forth from near freezing to nice again, then back to raw and cold. A cold-blooded animal, caught in the swing wouldn’t be around to croak out its love again next spring.

So when the days get shorter, the frogs of the pond head to the bottom where they partially cover themselves up with mud, then the heartbeat and breathing slow way down. Turtles are down there too, but they slow their body rates down to such an extent that they can get by on the oxygen found in the mud that they bury themselves in. Bullfrogs, on the other hand, need oxygen-rich water to make it through the winter, so they may be found on top of the mud, or partially buried in it. They say that frogs may even occasionally, take a slow swim around in the winter. Something I will just have to take their word on for I haven’t been scuba diving at the bottom of the pond in winter to see for myself.

What I do know, is that, usually, by May, the frogs that seem to leap out of nowhere in front of him, will once again entertain my dog. And if you remember, in May, look and see how dark the skin of these spring Bullfrogs is, not the Kelly green of summer but an almost black-green.
I have always wondered if that was to help them warm up more quickly in the sun. Nothing like dark colors to absorb the heat. Hmm, more things to ruminate on. Now, that is just what happens to the pond frogs, such as the Bullfrogs, Pickerel Frogs
Green Frogs etc.
Toads, well that’s a whole other story and an equally dazzling one at that, so shall we return to ruminations on brumation another day? I think we shall. Until then, enjoy your own ruminations.