Gray Tree Frog

Hyla versicolor

by Mladen

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidea
Genus: Hyla
Species: Hyla versicolor

Physical Description:

Gray Tree Frogs are 1.25 to 2 inches in length. The record is 2.25 inches length. The Gray Tree Frogs surface is rough with warts. The Gray Tree Frog can change its color background depending on its surrounding area also on the seasons humidity and shades. Usually the Gray Tree Frog would have a white mark under its eye. The Gray Tree Frogs turn green during breeding season.

Diet and Feeding Habits:

When Gray Tree Frogs are tadpoles they eat algae in their ponds. When the Gray Tree Frog is older they mostly eat insects like crickets, flies, meal worms, moths, and other small insects.

Reproduction:

The Gray Tree Frogs start to breed in April and ends in May. The male Gray Tree Frogs call the females to breed. During bad weather male Gray Tree Frogs don't call the females. Male Gray Tree Frogs call near the safety of their homes. Gray Tree Frogs lay their eggs in shallow waters on floating plants. The bundles that the females lay have about 10 to 40 eggs and they lay 2000 eggs total. The eggs hatch in about 5 days. A Gray Tree Frog tadpoles head looks like a football but the bottom of the football is cut and a tail is added. Tadpoles stay in their ponds for about 1 season until it is big enough to go on land.

Habitat:

Gray Tree Frogs can be found in wooded areas near water. They live near Swamps, Lakes, Ponds, Forests, and Suburban Areas.

Role in the Ecosystem:

During the summer the gray tree frogs are found in hollow trees and hollow logs. During the winter they hibernate under logs and roots and other things. Gray Tree Frogs are amphibians so they spend half there life in water and the other half on land but when they breed they go back into the water to lay eggs. The Gray Tree Frogs eat houseflies, insects, moth, crickets, and other small bugs. Gray Tree Frogs start off as herbivores because when they’re tadpoles they eat algae in there ponds but when they grow older they are carnivores because they eat insects. Gray Tree Frogs help humans because they eat annoying houseflies so it would be a great pet to have if you have a lot of flies in your house.

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