Random Act of Metaphor: Spring Peeper Chorus
Hmmm, they may be tiny in size but they are mighty in their abilities.
Nothing signals the arrival of spring quite like the loud, high-pitched chirps or peeps of Spring Peeper frogs. If you are anywhere in the vicinity of a pond at this time of year, you will hear their enthusiastic chorus ringing in the air.
Spring Peepers fall into the category of seldom seen but always heard. The resonance of their call is impressive given their size: 1-1/2” at most and less than an ounce. They definitely punch above their weight in terms of the volume of their call.
These amazing little creatures are very tolerant of cold conditions. They can withstand freezing during winter hibernation due to a natural “antifreeze” in their blood. Up to 70% of their bodies can freeze to the point that the heart stops pumping and the frog appears to be (but is not) dead.
No surprise that their peep is a mating call. Females choose their mates based on the frequency and volume associated with the male’s call. What amazes me is how a female Spring Peeper can distinguish one particular male’s call from all the others in the chorus. It defies human logic.
The Spring Peeper chorus is both exhilarating and haunting to experience – a random act of metaphor for the wonderful intricacy of nature and the way it can soothe our soul.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is also the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel (now out of print) which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com .
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