It takes 12-14 weeks before the tadpoles turn into froglets. Tadpoles eat large quantities of algae and plankton, which grow rapidly in the rich nutrients transported to the wetlands by spring rains. During metamorphosis, a change from the larval stage to adult, tadpoles lose their internal gills and tail and develop lungs and limbs. This remarkable transformation turns the previously aquatic vegetarian into an air breathing, carnivorous toad or frog that eats primarily insects. In the late fall frogs bury themselves in the mud out of reach of frost to hibernate.
Frogs are cold blooded animals so their body temperature drops as the temperature drops.
For this reason frogs have to hibernate and they do this at the bottom of ponds, on hillsides or in other places. They stay here until next spring. Frog bones form a new ring every year when the frog is hibernating. Scientists can count the rings to discover the age of the frog. Captive common frogs have been known to live for 12 years.