Cascade frogs, Mount Rainier National Park, 2015.

Found in many Mount Rainier locations, Cascade frogs (Rana cascadae) can be identified by their yellow bellies and clearly-defined black spots. Cascade frogs are found at altitudes of 2000' or higher, above the normal upper limit for the red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), a similar species rarely occurring above 2800' elevation. You can find them in lakes and ponds throughout the park. Cascade frogs will start laying its eggs in still or slow-moving water as soon as it thaws, from late May to early July, when the water temperatures reach 46 degrees F. After only eight to twenty days the larvae will emerge, so keep an eye out for tadpoles shortly after the egg laying season.