The females, heavy with eggs at this time, enter the pond, and are grasped by the male. As they begin the process of laying the eggs, the males fertilize them, holding the female in an embrace until all the eggs have been laid. Most of the eggs hatch in about 10 days, sometimes sooner if the temperature of the water is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The tiny tadpoles rest for a few days, clinging to aquatic plants, receiving nourishment from the yolk sac stored in their bellies. As they develop in the pond, most of them eat aquatic plants, especially algae, as they develop.
Tadpoles have gills, similar to fish, covered and protected by a flap of skin.
As they continue to develop, their hind legs form and grow. Then their tail begins to shrink and the front legs appear. Soon the gills are gone, and the tadpole begins to breathe air at the surface, with his brand new lungs. Soon after transforming into froglets or toadlets, they begin life out of the water and start eating insects. Growth takes place quickly.