When you think of frogs, you might think of warm, humid ecology, such as the Southern United States. Washington’s amphibian state symbol is the Pacific Chorus Frog, and he lives in the colder state of Washington.
The Pacific Chorus Frog is a tiny frog compared to its southern cousins. He measures less than two inches. It is predominately green or a brown color with a mask of black around his eyes, with a strip of brown seeming to run through his eyes and down his face. He also has suction cups on his feet. This helps him to climb things and hang on to wall, windows, plants and trees. He is known for his “chorus” ability. When he decides to send its call out into the night, it can swell its throat sacs over three times their regular size. This sound that they make is the most used sound of frogs in the movie industry.
Washington’s marine mammal came as no surprise when on June 14, 2005, the Orca was adopted. This Orca is the largest of the dolphin family. It lives in all the earth’s oceans. It ranges from the frigid water of the Artic and Antarctic to the warms seas of the tropics. Weighing in at seven to ten tons, and reaching lengths of twenty-three feet, the orca displaces a lot of water when it rises up out of the water. Most people are familiar with this whale due to the use of these beautiful black and white monsters in theme parks. One of the most noted was Shamu.
Since Washington is known for its production of apples, the apple is the state’s fruit symbol. Washington sate produces over forty percent of the United States production of apples and about 60 % of the fresh consumption ones. The other apples are exported to mostly the Asian Pacific Rim, Canada and Mexico, and South American countries. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Fugi, Gala, and Grannie Smith are the most grown varieties in the state.
The state’s symbol for fish is the steelhouse trout. These trout are anadromous fish. Anadromous means that the trout are born in an upwater stream and then make their way to the ocean as adults. Their life cycle is very near the well known salmon. The main difference between the two is that the trout do not necessarily die when they return to the streams to spawn and many spawn more than two or three seasons. The adult male is easily distinguished from the white side female, as during spawning it turns a bright pink.
The Green Darner Dragonfly is the state’s insect symbol. This is one of the largest of the dragonflies. It is a bright green and reddish color. The back of the dorsal is bright blue. Its wings are almost translucent, they are so thin. Interestingly the dragonfly is carnivorous, living on other aquatic insects, tadpoles, and tiny fish.
The Walla Walla Sweet Onion is the state symbol for its vegetable. Historically the story is that a French soldier brought the first seeds to the Walla Walla area and that was the beginning of this type of onion. This onion is large, sweet and very round. They are great in cooking. Walla Walla is translated as many waters. This wonderful clean water is what makes these onions so desirable.
Other state symbols include the Western Hemlock for the state tree, petrified wood as its Gem, Willow Goldfinch for its state bird, and the Square Dance as its state dance.
