h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's been extremely dry here in northern South Africa for the past couple of months. We just had a bit in early October, but nothing since then ... until today! We had quite a good shower, enough to set the little rain froggies a'singing! I haven't seen the termite alates coming out yet. These are the winged, reproduction-capable termite males and females, which emerge from termite nests in huge numbers as soon as good rain falls in the early Summer. They set out to found new colonies, but the majority end up as food for critters from those same rain frogs, up to the size of falcons and hawks. Anyways the veld also responds very rapidly to the rains, so I'll see when I can get out and take a few photos in the environs.

Yay for the rain! Yay for the s! I love it when they sing.

You can hear the call of the rain frogs we have here at 1:15 on this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mISMwN-0ggE

That's our very own Bushveld Rain Frog.

But starting at 1:27 it is a different species! I think perhaps a Plaintive Rain Frog.

Then at 2:38 it is a bushveld rain frog again.

I can't vouch for the tadpoles!

Here's the quite similar call of the Cape Rain Frog. It's very relaxing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnaw3vV-2PQ

There is really something called a Plaintive Rain Frog?

Thanks for the video, what fascinating creatures.