--- title: "Common Frog (Rana temporaria) | AnimalTracks.wiki" description: "The frog that lives as far north as the Arctic Circle and sits out winter under rocks or buried in pond mud." image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/common-frog-1.webp" published: "2026-10-11" updated: "2026-10-11" --- # Common Frog (*Rana temporaria*) > **Status**: Checked against 5 sources, listed under Sources below. > **Tagline**: The frog that lives as far north as the Arctic Circle and sits out winter under rocks or buried in pond mud. > **Soundtrack Vibe**: Glacial Ambient & Drone Soundscapes // Julianna Barwick, "Nebula" > **Soundtrack Links**: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/65Qg5Y6IPw2U9pL0lrKWdh) > **Vibe Match**: A common frog's spawn raft can hold up to 2,000 eggs, each in its own clear jelly capsule, piled into one floating mass. Julianna Barwick builds Nebula the same way, from copy after copy of her own voice stacked into one cloud of sound. ## Biological Superpowers & Stats - **Taxonomy**: *Rana temporaria* - **Danger Level**: Low - **Conservation Status**: Least Concern ([IUCN Red List](https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2024-2.rlts.t173101508a200721782.en)) - **Superpower**: Cold survival: it winters under rocks or buried in pond mud and lives as far north as the Arctic Circle - **Habitat**: Almost any damp habitat across Great Britain, Europe and northwestern Asia, from wet meadows to mountain lakes - **Diet**: Insects, wood lice, spiders, slugs, snails and worms - **Tags**: amphibian, wetlands, woodland, carnivore ## Natural History & Behavior ## Cold-proof from pond to Arctic This frog copes well with cold climates. The common frog (*Rana temporaria*) lives across Great Britain, Europe and northwestern Asia, and Animal Diversity Web says it reaches the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia. In Britain it gets through winter tucked under rocks, in compost heaps, or down in the pond, buried in mud and plants. Froglife says it does not hibernate as such, and on a mild day it may pop out to forage. ## Small, smooth and many-coloured In Britain, males grow up to 9 cm long and females up to 13 cm. Animal Diversity Web gives an average mass of 22.7 g. The skin is smooth and the legs are long, built for jumping away fast. They are usually olive-green or brown with a dark mask behind the eye, but yellow, pink, red, lime-green, cream and black frogs turn up too. In breeding season males develop blue patches on the back and throat. > **Pond rafts** > Froglife says a British spawn raft often holds up to 2,000 eggs, each small black egg wrapped in a clear jelly capsule about 1 cm across. ## A fast spring In Britain, adults leave their winter spots in early spring and head straight to a pond. Males may piggyback on a female on the way there. Eggs go in as early as January in south-west England, and two to four weeks later, depending on the weather, the tadpoles hatch. Tadpoles start black, then pick up gold-brown speckles. They eat algae and water fleas. After about 16 weeks they grow back legs, then front legs, and leave the water as tiny froglets, usually in early summer. Frogs reach breeding age at 2 to 3 years old. AnAge lists 27 years as the maximum longevity for the species, and says frogs in the wild may live up to 14 years. ## Night shift hunters Adults mostly feed at night on a wide variety of invertebrates, especially slugs and snails. Away from breeding time, a frog may wander as far as 500 metres from its pond. They find worms by smell. The common frog is rated Least Concern by the IUCN, but Froglife lists habitat degradation and introduced disease as threats, and calls garden ponds extremely important to it, especially in towns. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How long can a common frog live? Wild frogs may live up to 14 years, according to AnAge, which gives 27 years as the maximum for the species. By its figures, males and females both mature at about 3 years old. *(Source: [AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources]())* ### How many eggs does a common frog lay? Common frogs lay their spawn in rafts, and Froglife says a raft often holds up to 2,000 eggs. In the UK the tadpoles hatch two to four weeks later, depending on the local weather. *(Source: [Froglife]())* ### How big is a common frog? Froglife's British figures put males at up to 9 cm long and females at up to 13 cm. *(Source: [Froglife]())* ### Where do common frogs go in winter? In Britain, the winter hideouts are under rocks, in compost heaps or at the bottom of ponds. Froglife says it is not hibernation as such. In milder spells they may come out to forage. *(Source: [Froglife]())* ## Sources 1. [Ogrodowczyk et al. (2024). Rana temporaria. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T173101508A200721782.]() 2. [Common Frog (Rana temporaria). Froglife.]() 3. [Common frog (Rana temporaria). Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust.]() 4. [Rana temporaria. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.]() 5. [AnAge entry for Rana temporaria. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.]() *Published October 11, 2026. 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