This species occupies a wide variety of shaded moist habitats. It burrows into soil or hides in or under surface cover or debris when inactive. Males call from sheltered locations, often from beneath objects at water's edge or partially buried in grass (Schwartz and Henderson 1991). Eggs and larvae develop in lakes, ponds, sloughs, flooded roadside ditches, swamps, stream margins, rain puddles etc. This species uses both temporary and permanent waters. It can persist in human modified habitats such as residential areas.

This species is native to the USA, and ranges from southern Maryland to southeastern Kansas, south to Florida Keys and eastern Texas. It has scattered disjunctive populations along the northern and western margins of its range (Conant and Collins 1991). It is introduced in The Bahamas on the Little (Grand Bahama and Abaco) and Great Bahama Banks (New Providence), as well as on Grand Cayman Island, Cayman Islands (Schwartz and Henderson 1988, Schwartz and Henderson 1991, Giery et al. 2017). This species occurs at elevations ranging from around sea level to 732 m asl (Nelson 1972).

Conservation Actions In-Place
The range of this species overlaps with many protected areas.