Gray Tree Frog
Jun 27, 2015 22:20:03 #
This is a Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) that I saw this evening sitting on a weathered piece of wood. It is native to most of North America. They are nocturnal and spend most of their time high in the trees, only coming down to breed, so while they are common they are not often seen. They have a remarkable ability to change color to match their surroundings and use that as camouflage. They can change from near-black to near-white, but most often display mottled grays and greens. This one is matching the gray wood and throwing in a little green to match the nearby leaves.
Mike
Mike
Jun 27, 2015 22:26:22 #
Jun 27, 2015 22:27:37 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
This is a Gray Tree Frog ( i Hyla versicolor /i ) ... (show quote)
Nice shots , I have shot them several times , I thought they could change color also but never saw it happen.
Jun 27, 2015 22:55:16 #
Jun 28, 2015 04:47:38 #
Jun 28, 2015 11:05:19 #
Great set, Mike and the details are amazing in the download!
Did he wind up eating that little fly in the second shot??
:thumbup:
Did he wind up eating that little fly in the second shot??
:thumbup:
Jun 28, 2015 12:31:59 #
angela k wrote:
Great set, Mike and the details are amazing in the download!
Did he wind up eating that little fly in the second shot??
:thumbup:
Did he wind up eating that little fly in the second shot??
:thumbup:
Thanks, Angela. Pretty interesting little critters. Both frog and fly were gone this morning.
Mike
Jun 28, 2015 12:32:16 #
Jun 28, 2015 12:43:39 #
Jun 28, 2015 13:42:28 #
im so glad you posted this! my wife was working in the garden last week and yelled for me to bring the camera. i ran over and got a few shots of this same frog. i had no idea what it was and had never seen one before. gary
Jun 28, 2015 14:11:55 #
gwr wrote:
im so glad you posted this! my wife was working in the garden last week and yelled for me to bring the camera. i ran over and got a few shots of this same frog. i had no idea what it was and had never seen one before. gary
That's great.
You probably hear them calling -
http://www.mister-toad.com/photos/frog/hyla_versicolor_05.html
They sleep all day on elevated horizontal surfaces, even in direct sunlight, relying completely on their camouflage for protection. They can utilize porch railings and such just as they do horizontal branches. They eat moths and other nocturnal insects, so they can sometimes be found around artificial lights taking advantage of the moths attracted there. Most of their life is spent on the highest branches of trees. They have to breed in water, so that is why they are down at our level this time of the year. If you follow the link I posted you can see a photo of one on a green leaf. It looks like a completely different frog.
Mike
Jun 28, 2015 14:12:50 #
Jun 28, 2015 15:31:24 #
I've seen a Grey Tree Frog only one time, and what a treat! Beautiful shots of this one, Mike!
Blenheim Orange wrote:
This is a Gray Tree Frog ( i Hyla versicolor /i ) ... (show quote)
Jun 28, 2015 15:36:17 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
That's great. br br You probably hear them calli... (show quote)
the one i photographed was in my wife Hosta plant. green background w/ a white frog that has black outlines. pretty cool looking. cool post from you and good info too. keep them coming. gary
Jun 28, 2015 17:50:02 #
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