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American Green Treefrog

American Green Treefrog

Hyla cinerea

Least Concern

Quick Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Abundance: Common
Habitat: Forest, Wetland, Urban
Activity: Nocturnal (Active at night)

A moderately sized treefrog with long legs, slender build, and smooth skin. It has large, protruding eyes with horizontal pupils. They can range in color from the more common bright green to reddish-brown and their backs are peppered with small golden spots. The frogs have a white to cream colored stripe on their sides.

Diet

Insectivores, primarily consuming flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, cockroaches, spiders, beetles, and other small insects such as crickets and ants.

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)
Kingdom: Animalia
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Phylum: Chordata
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Class: Amphibia
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Order: Anura
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Family: Hylidae
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Genus: Hyla
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Species: Hyla cinerea

Scientific Name

Hyla cinerea

Common Name

American Green Treefrog
Breeding Season
March-September

Behavior

Green treefrogs can be found in large groups during the breeding season, especially during peak times. Besides their mating calls, alarm and rain calls are important aspects of social behavior. During most of the year green treefrogs are solitary. They are most active when the weather is moist.

Ecological Role

Although green treefrogs are not considered a keystone species, they play a vital role ecosystems they inhabit. They are prey to large predatory fish, snakes, and their other predators and green treefrog adults consume large quantities of insects.

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)

Habitat Types

Forest
Wetland
Urban

Geographic Distribution

Commonly found in the central to southeastern United States. Its geographic range stretches from Virginia's eastern shore to the southeast tip of Florida, as far west as central Texas and as far north as Maryland and Delaware.

Local Abundance

Common

Conservation Status

Least Concern

This species is widespread and abundant. No immediate threat to survival.

How You Can Help

  • Report sightings to contribute to population monitoring
  • Support habitat conservation efforts
  • Follow guidelines when observing wildlife

Additional Notes

American Green Treefrogs can be used as bioindicators of aquatic contamination. Synthetic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls, found in many pesticides, can be measured via the frogs skin which easily absorbs the contaminants upon contact.

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