ANIMAL: Eastern Gray Tree Frog Dryophytes versicolor Type of Animal: Frog Habitat: Moist woodland/forest near breeding habitats: swamps, permanent/seasonal pools, ponds, puddles, bogs, marshes, & lakes; pine barrens, farmland, suburbs, manmade gardens, water gardens, rainwater filled swimming pool covers, riparian areas, farm woodlots, old fields, shrubs Location(s): Found in SE Canada in S Manitoba, S Ontario, & S Quebec, w/ isolated population in New Brunswick, as well as E half of US as far west as C Texas & Oklahoma. Appearance: Color ranges from gray to green, depending on where they’re sitting, ones in unnatural surroundings usually gray, females larger than males and has white throat, male has black/gray/brown throat, bright yellow patches on hind legs, tadpoles have rounded bodies w/ high wide tails, leg area/groin yellow Food/Diet: Moths, crickets, ants, flies, grasshoppers, beetles, insect larvae, mites, spiders, snails, worms, harvestmen, roaches Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in zoos, aquariums, & herpetoculture. Lifestyle: Found in small groups Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young-Tadpole Group-Army Weight: Male-0.23 oz Female-0.25 oz Gestation: 3-7 days Life Span: 7-9 years Body Length: Male-1.25 in Female-2 in Main predators of adults are snakes, alligators, turtles, birds, carnivorous/omnivorous mammals, larger frogs, many fish, lizards, salamanders, & giant water bugs. Diving beetles, dragonfly nymphs, damselfly nymphs, & larger amphibian larvae eat tadpoles. They’re usually nocturnal (active at night). Calling/breeding season lasts from late April to early August. A female can lay 1,000-2,000 eggs a season, with each clutch containing around 40 eggs. Tadpoles metamorphose into froglets at 2 months old, becoming adults at 2 years old. During breeding season, males make shrill, chirp-like calls at night. Sometimes, calls made during day in response to loud noises. Hibernate in winter by taking refuge in trees. Fun Fact(s): They’re often kept as pets. Yellow in groin/leg areas helps deter predators, since it confuses them. It produces glycerol when exposed to colder temperatures, which acts as natural antifreeze. Their large sticky toe pads help it cling to surfaces. They’re excellent at camouflage.
