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Showing posts with label green treefrogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green treefrogs. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Backyard Nature Wednesday: December reptiles and amphibians

We got a cold front, or at least a cool front, through last night that lowered our temperatures to somewhat more seasonal levels, but prior to that, the last few days have felt more like Indian Summer than Almost Winter. Daytime temperatures have been in the 70s F. and it didn't cool down a whole lot at night. So maybe it isn't surprising that some of my favorite backyard critters, the reptiles and amphibians, that had disappeared during our quite cool weather of a couple of weeks ago, put in an appearance once again as they came out to enjoy warmer temperatures.


It's not often that one sees little green treefrogs out enjoying the sun on a December day, but there he was. He lives in a bed where crinums grow and throughout the summer I would often see him sunning himself on one of their broad leaves. Nevertheless, I was just a bit surprised to see him there this week 


Then I went to sit on the glider on the patio and when I looked up from my seat, this is what I saw - another little green treefrog resting on the metal bar from which the glider swings. The canopy over the glider is above him and he had found a very warm spot just there underneath it. 


The green anoles - yes, that's what he is even though he appears brown at the moment - were out en force. This is my little patio buddy that I was used to encountering on and around the patio during the summer and fall.

At night, even the Mediterranean geckos have been out once again, patrolling the ceilings of my front and back entry porches. 
Except for brief intervals of cold, it has been an unusually warm December so far. I wonder if I'll have frogs, anoles, and geckos on Christmas Day this year?

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Backyard Nature Wednesday: Little green treefrog

Sitting on my patio the other morning, I happened to spy a spot of green where there shouldn't have been any green. I looked closer and here is what I discovered.

It's a little green treefrog! Surely one of my very favorite backyard critters. He was pretending that the leg of one of my patio chairs was a tree trunk. He was sure that he was wearing his cloak of invisibility and that I could not see him, so I went for my camera and started recording his visit.

Here is a side view that shows that wonderful eye and his white lateral stripe. Isn't he adorable?
Green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) are typically 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 inches in length. I think this one was about 2 inches. They are usually bright green, like this little guy, but their color can be variable. 

Their range includes most of the southeastern part of the country all the way to the middle of Texas and right up the Atlantic Coast all the way to Maryland and perhaps beyond. 

In our area, they are known to breed anytime from March to October, so it's possible this one was looking for a mate. If so, I hope he (she?) finds one. The world needs more little green treefrogs.