An Introduction to the Living Habits, Economic Value and Farming Management of the Wood Frog
The wood frog is a collective name for amphibians of the genus Rana in the family Ranidae. In China it is mainly distributed in mountain and forest areas such as the Northeast and North China, with common types including the Chinese wood frog (Rana chensinensis), the Northeast wood frog (Rana amurensis) and the Heilongjiang wood frog (Rana amurensis). They are small in size, with backs mostly earth-brown or grayish-brown and marked with dark patches, and they get their name because they usually live in woods and thickets.
The wood frog has typical amphibious habits. In warm seasons it is mostly active in damp woodland and grass, preying on various insects and other small animals. After temperatures drop in late autumn, it migrates down the mountain to water sources one after another, entering rivers or the bottom of ponds to overwinter. It has strong cold tolerance and can safely spend the winter in water beneath the ice, then gather again in still-water areas to breed and lay eggs once spring warms up.
In terms of practical value, the dried oviducts of female wood frogs, commonly known as wood frog oil or snow frog (hasma), are a traditional tonic in the Northeast region. At the same time, wood frogs prey heavily on agricultural and forestry pests in the wild, which also plays a positive role in controlling pests and maintaining ecological balance.
Farming wood frogs artificially requires simulating their wild living environment. A frog farm should provide both land activity areas and water source conditions. Daily management focuses on preventing escape, guarding against natural enemies, and regulating water temperature and water quality during the overwintering period; during the tadpole stage, suitable palatable feed must also be provided. It should be noted that wild wood frogs are a managed wildlife resource, and catching, purchasing and trading them should comply with relevant laws and regulations, and the corresponding procedures should also be handled in accordance with the law before starting artificial farming.
