There are five species of tree frogs in our state, three of which can be found in the Times News area. One, the northern cricket frog, is at its northernmost range here but I have seen them in Lehigh County. I’ll focus on two most familiar to us.

The northern spring peeper (Hyla crucifer) is the most common. They live in wooded areas, usually near a permanent body of clean water. They, as most amphibians, need permanent ponds, marshes, or vernal pools to lay their eggs. Peepers are tiny frogs, maturing at ¾ to 1¼ inches in size with a characteristic “X” shaped cross (crucifix) pattern on their dorsal/back side. As most tree frogs, the peeper has enlarged sticky pads on the ends of their toes which enable them to climb into shrubs and trees where they spend most of their lives.

“Peepers” hibernate, but when March provides a few 50 degree days, they emerge. Both males and females then instinctively move to the ponds to breed. Male “peepers” inflate their vocal sac (throat area) and emit a surprisingly loud peep.

When dozens or sometimes hundreds of these males have arrived at their breeding wetlands, their evening peeps produce a cacophony of sounds. If you drive past one of these wet areas at night you can often hear the peeps even with the windows closed.

The female “peepers” lay nearly 1,000 eggs which the males fertilize externally as they drop into the water among submerged vegetation. About 100 days later, the tiny froglets begin emerging from their temporary homes to climb trees and continue the life cycle.

Gray tree frogs are found throughout much of the eastern U.S. wherever sufficient watery habitat and trees are exist. They are more common in suburban areas than the “peepers.” They may even be found on the edges of our local communities within a reasonable distance from their breeding pond/s. As all tree frogs, they spend most of their lives in the trees and venture down only to seek a mate and a pond in which to breed. About 1½ to 2 ½ inches in size, they are much bulkier than peepers.

You’ll hear them calling much later in the summer than the “peepers.” Their songs are surprisingly loud and can be heard a considerable distance. Almost eerie, they make your evening backyards sound almost tropical. For those not familiar with that call, I suggest you go online to frog and toad calls and you’ll be surprised that you may have already heard them and thought they were some type of bird calling.

After mating and laying about 3,500 eggs, they leave the ponds and return to the tree tops where their mottled gray skin helps them almost become the bark of the tree. They use their typical “frog” tongue to snare some small, hapless flying insects that strayed too close. Depending on when the eggs were laid, the young tree frogs often don’t leave the ponds until September to venture out on their own before it is time to begin hibernation for the winter. You can enjoy nature even after dark, so get out there……..

Test your knowledge: Which of these is not a destructive introduced species? A. Gypsy moth, B. Tomato hornworm, C. Japanese beetle, D. Spotted lanternfly, E. Emerald ash borer.

Last week’s nature trivia answer: When we lose a species it usually affects other things around them. The chestnut blight basically “wiped out” the American chestnut tree. They were once the dominant hardwood in our area. The Allegheny wood rat population dropped drastically after the demise of the chestnut.

Contact Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com.