American Bullfrogs at the Norfolk Botanical Garden

August 9, 2021

Capturing images of American bullfrogs at the Norfolk Botanical Garden is one of my favorite things that I like to do in the spring and summer. Last year, I discovered a new love for photographing these adorable frogs. I spent a lot of time last summer taking pictures of the bullfrogs in various compositions. I have been back again this spring and summer looking to capture new images of these American bullfrogs at the Norfolk Botanical Garden.

American Bullfrog on Lily Pad Photographic Compositions

Although last year, I photographed the bullfrogs in a lot of different situations, I was unable to get an image of a bullfrog on a lily pad that I really liked. So, this year I was determine to get that shot. So far this year, I have taken a lot of pictures of bullfrogs on lily pads.  And I really like these images I have captured of the frogs on lily pads.

Here are a few of the images I captured of the bullfrogs on lily pads this year.

Also, I have been able to find and capture other different compositions of these bullfrogs such as in the grass and with reflections in the water. One of my unique compositions, I have been able to photograph was a bullfrog with the pink water lilies in the image with a frog.

Here are two different perspectives of the same bullfrog among water lilies at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

Photographing American Bullfrogs

When I am in the field photographing frogs, I always get down as low as I can to the ground or to eye level of the frogs. I am almost always handholding my big lens. I like to move around a lot to photograph the frogs at many various types of angles and perspectives.  Not using my tripod gives me a lot of flexibility. Therefore, I usually increase my ISO so that I have enough shutter speed to hand hold my camera and lens. This low perspective gives me a very intimate look to my frog images.

American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) sitting in grass near the lily pond at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia.
American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) sitting in grass near the lily pond at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia.

American Bullfrog Facts

The American bullfrog is native to the eastern United States. American bullfrogs are large aquatic frogs that can reach a length of 6 to 8 inches. They are very powerful swimmers with strong back legs. Bullfrogs are carnivores. They like to eat a variety of prey including crayfish, snails, fish, small turtles, water beetles as well as other frogs. The lifespan of bullfrogs living in the wild is estimated to be 8 to 10 years.  

American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) up close on lily pad on a spring afternoon at Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia.

Thank you for reading my Field Notes blog, and I hope you will share this post with others.

Let’s protect our wildlife and nature!

All the very best,

Lori

Copyright © 2021 Lori A Cash

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