Tree frog in the Garden

It was around five yesterday evening and my hubby Doug called for me to come around to the back of the house. And there on the back storm door was this brilliantly colored frog.
We had a construction crew replacing some of the siding on our house that was damaged by the hail storm that hit our area on 4/ 9/11. All of the racket must have startled one of the frogs that inhabit our back yard. I did not recall seeing a frog this color green in our area before, so I fired up the laptop and conducted some research.

Here is what I found on website www.herpssofnc.org:

“Description: The squirrel tree frog is a small, smooth-skinned frog that can change color rapidly, from green to yellowish brown or brown. It generally has a poorly developed yellowish stripe on each side and sometimes spotting on the back.

Habitats and Habits: Squirrel tree frogs occur in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from pine savannas to urban backyards. They are found primarily in the Coastal Plain, although they may be introduced into other parts of the state by hitchhiking on garden materials. Squirrel tree frogs are nocturnal and spend the daylight hours hiding under leaves, bark or logs. Eggs are deposited singly at the bottom of shallow, temporary pools, and tadpoles require at least seven weeks to complete metamorphosis.

Waterfall great home for the wee frogs

Call: Breeding occurs from April to August. Their breeding call is a nasal “waaak, waaak,” repeated about 15 times in 10 seconds. They also have a “rain call,” which is a scolding, squirrel-like rasp usually performed away from water before or during rain storms. Consequently, they are sometimes called “rain frogs.”

Frog Fact: Squirrel tree frogs and other tree frogs are often seen at night around lighted windows and street lights, where they feed on insects.”

The poor little critter stayed attached to the back door until the sun went down, I am hoping the frog is not alone, how sad would that be. I will let you know if I spy the brilliant green frog again any time soon. Cheers!