Frogs grow through a fascinating process called metamorphosis. They start as eggs laid in water, hatch into tadpoles that live underwater, and eventually transform into adult frogs that can live on land. This complete transformation involves major changes in body structure, breathing, and diet.
The frog life cycle begins when adult females lay their eggs in water. These eggs are surrounded by a protective jelly coating that keeps them safe and provides nutrients. Inside each egg, an embryo develops over one to three weeks, gradually growing larger and more complex until it's ready to hatch as a tadpole.
After hatching, tadpoles are fully aquatic creatures. They breathe through gills and use their powerful tails to swim. Tadpoles are herbivorous, feeding on algae and plant matter in the water. As they grow larger over several weeks, the first major change occurs when hind legs begin to develop.
The most dramatic changes occur when front legs develop and internal organs transform. Lungs begin to form while gills disappear, allowing the tadpole to breathe air. The tail starts shrinking as it's absorbed for nutrition. The digestive system changes to process insects instead of plants, marking the transition from herbivore to carnivore.
The final stage is the adult frog, now fully terrestrial with no tail remaining. Adult frogs are skilled hunters with powerful legs for jumping and long tongues for catching insects. When mature, they return to water to mate and lay eggs, completing the remarkable cycle of metamorphosis that transforms aquatic tadpoles into land-dwelling adults.