Juniper Nardiello-Smith is a recent graduate UVM Rubenstein School’s Wildlife and Fisheries Biology Program. Juniper decided to use watercolors to paint the life cycle of a green frog (Lithobates clamitans).

Juniper writes, “My decision to display their life cycle comes from how fascinated I have always been at the ability for frogs and some herps to live both an aquatic and terrestrial life. They undergo a transformation that is so unique that it made me, as a young child, believe in magic.”

“The three stages I painted include the egg/larval stage where you can see the black embryos of the green frogs resting among the vegetation in a murky pond.“

“Next you will see a young green frog tadpole, spending most of its time inactive near the even murkier bottom of the pond.

“Lastly there is an adult green frog, likely a male because of its yellow coloring on its belly, enjoying life outside of the pond.“