State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Minnesota
Minnesota is north woods, lakes and prairie. American Toads and Painted Turtles are the most-reported herps. Northern Leopard Frogs and Boreal Chorus Frogs call in the spring. May is the busiest month, and no venomous snakes made the list here.
28 species4 ecoregions
Search entire stateSpecies out across Minnesota, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | |
| Lizards | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Turtles | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Frogs and Toads | 1 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 3 | ||
| Salamanders | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
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Hi, I'm Nick. I built Herp Calendar on my own and I keep it free, with no ads. If it has helped you find a herp this season, a small tip goes straight into the hosting and the data work. Only if you can spare it. Either way, I'm glad you're here.
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of Minnesota
Seasons shift a lot between Minnesota's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Northern Lakes and Forests
27 speciesNorth woods and lakes where frogs and turtles fit a short, busy summer.
View calendar →Upper Midwest Hardwood Forests
27 speciesHardwood forest and farm ponds with toads, painted turtles and leopard frogs.
View calendar →Central Great Plains
49 speciesPrairie, farm ponds and river bottoms with toads, turtles and collared lizards.
View calendar →Northern Great Plains
15 speciesOpen prairie and pothole ponds with leopard frogs, painted turtles and rattlesnakes.
View calendar →About Minnesota
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Minnesota?
May is the busiest month in Minnesota, with 21 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from April through October.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Minnesota?
28 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 11 frogs and toads, 10 snakes, 4 turtles, 2 salamanders, and 1 lizard. The most-reported are the American Toad, Painted Turtle, and Northern Leopard Frog.
Are there venomous snakes in Minnesota?
No venomous snakes have enough records in Minnesota to make this list.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.