I got my Peterson's field guide just for this situation and wouldn't you know it, there isn't much info on the tadpoles. A computer search turned up the same way so I can't fault Peterson. After I got hung up in the subject I must have spent more than 2 hours reading about frogs and the closest I could come is the Green Frog which can be green or bronze or yellow or even blue. While the mating season is March through April, some tadpoles overwinter so that would be why you would see them now. This tadpole meets your measurement of 3 inches and can be even larger. That's a big tadpole for a medium sized frog. The only negative would be that they don't seem to live much beyond the very northern part of Florida.
Wait! That's it. Florida. I bet the U of Florida has info on this. Their Co-operative Extension Service does a great job on Horticulture and related subjects including mammals and amphibians. I'll leave that search to you. Sandy

Hi
Hope they're not marine toads?? They have gigantic tadpoles to match the toads. Bufo marinus introduced from Brazil and have over run s. florida. They are really the bane of water gardening as they reproduce by the thousands
Supposedly they can't live with a freeze but who knows?? gary

Bullfrog tadpoles are quite large as well. Not sure if they are in your area though.

tomkaren, Below you will see links to information about [in order]
1 Bullfrogs.
2 Green or Bronze Frogs.
3 Marine or Cane Toads.
4.More Marine or Cane Toad info [Thanks to Robyns Pond site].
5 Photographs of all kinds of tadpoles.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/herps/amphibid/species/bullfrog.htm

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/herps/amphibid/species/bronze.h

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW046

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/toad.htm#marine

http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/tadpole/division_3.htm#d3s4

Sorry but you will have to copy and paste those links. As Sandy pointed out the other day, in another thread, this site only allows a person to directly link one URL.
And that can be a PITA!

Maybe you will find a photograph/information Re, your tadpole[s] in there somewhere.
"Horton"

Cane Toad! That was the name I was trying to think of after last years discussions, here. But I kept thinking Cane Frog and that really didn't sound right and Marine Toad didn't either. I'm always sure one of the nice people here will remember. Now which one is it that is such a problem even on the west coast and is spreading so fast and crowding out the regular frogs? I remember it is BIG! How come Peterson's didn't have that name? I remember reading in a novel recently, a scene where a sugar cane field in Cuba was being burned and hundreds or maybe it was thousands of Cane Toads came leaping out. At 3.3 lbs each thats a lot of toad.
Thank you, Horton. My memory has become Swiss Cheese. Sandy

Ah Sandy, What is a memory? LOL

Bullfrogs are not indigenous to the west coast of N America.
They were taken over the Rockies [both US and Canadian] by humans, to be bred for frog legs for restaurants.

Of course like most of those not very well thought out "good ideas and money making plans", the Bullfrogs got free, bred like wildfire and then decimated the populations of native frogs and other amphibians all down the west coast of the continent.

The Cane or Marine Toad is another import, that has caused wide spread problems among the native amphibians and other small animals, in Florida and in Australia, where they were introduced in 1935 to eat and control Cane Beetles.

They are also highly poisonous.
"Horton"

Hi
Don't know why they were introduced to Fl but wish they would take them back. I remove at least 10 a day from my ponds None of the native snakes can eat them because of the poison. Along with the Cuban tree frog, Iguanas, and Cuban anoles have become a REAL pest.
Recently read an interesting report of a Bio survey of the everglades . They found BREEDING size reticulated pythons as well as youngsters. No doubt they can survive the winter anymore.
Now a two pound toad is one thing but a 30 foot snake is a whole new ballgame of pests lol

No kidding Gary. Just what you want, a thirty feet long snake hanging around your pond.

But the up side is,I heard a rumour that they only feed on Canadian "Snow Birds"!!??
LOL
"Horton"

Here is another link below to information about the Marine/Cane Toads in Florida.
I guess they were introduced into the Caribbean and Florida, as they were to Australia, to combat the Cane Beetles in the sugar cane fields.
"Horton"

Here is a link that might be useful: Bufo Marinus

Hi
I heard that nothing will eat Canadians except polar bears Even then only young and tender ones lol
you can pretty well guess where the ,pythons came from .The pet trade. Why don'r people take care of their animals?? The theory was that they could not survive the winter. There is a now famous pic of a one that had consumed a 7 foot alligator and exploded. Another clue as to the choice and size of potential prey.
There is one in Malaysia that is intentionly being fed to produce a large size. 50 foot 1067 ponds and still growing,average is under 20 feet. fed exclusively on dogs
as often as he will consume them.
On a more cheery note I read that King Cobras relish cane toads often preferring them. Maybe we should let a dozen or so go?? No more toad s!!!! gary