Tree Frogs (Gumball & Skittles)

Gray Tree Frogs are native to Michigan and can be found throughout the entire state in forested habitats. Adults are mostly gray on the back and legs with some black marbling and usually have a white spot below each eye. There are flecks of yellow in the pits of the legs, but the brilliance of the yellow and amount of flecking is highly variable. These frogs also have the ability to to change their color from gray to green based on their surroundings. Only males will vocalize and singing is mostly limited to their mating season (May-July). Although they spend a majority of their adult lives in forests, adults will eventually have to return to a body of water for reproduction. Gray Treefrog eggs can be hard to find, because they hatch in only 2-5 days! Like many other amphibians, they must lay their eggs in water due to the jelly-like nature of the eggs and the fact that their babies (tadpoles) will have gills. A Gray tree frog’s main method of defense will be its astonishing coloration – they are designed to look like a lichen on a tree. Their round sticky toe pads allow them to walk and hop on vertical or inverted surfaces.

Green Tree Frogs are native to the southeastern US, ranging from eastern Texas through Gulf bordering states to Florida and up through the east coast to Delaware. These large tree frogs are bright green with a sharply defined yellowish line along their jaw and upper body. Sometimes they have gold specks on their backs. Like Gray Tree Frogs, Green Tree Frogs also have sticky skin and large toe pads which make them experts at sticking to all kinds of surfaces. Green tree frogs will inhabit vegetation near permanent bodies of water, often found resting on the undersides of large leaves.

Sarett Nature Center is home to one Gray Tree Frog (Gumball) and one Green Tree Frog (Skittles). Gumball was overwintered here a few years ago and we decided to keep him as an educational ambassador. Skittles was actually found the summer after we decided to keep Gumball by a friend of the director in his backyard. Luckily, this friend is well versed in native species and immediately knew that this Green frog was quite out of place in MI. Skittles was passed along to us via this friend and has made a great tank mate for Gumball and a great addition to our animal ambassador family. Both frogs can be frequently heard singing in the nature center in the spring and early summer. Sarett Nature Center has a Scientific Collector’s Permit issued by the DNR to allow for collection and possession of these animals for educational purposes.