Bad Frog
Adorable, yes. Very bad for the environment, also yes.
This is the Cuban Tree Frog.
This invasive is a native to Cuba, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. Even though there’s that whole embargo with Cuba right now, Cuban tree frogs were first introduced during the 1920’s in the Florida Keys, probably by boat as it is a notorious hitchhiker. At this point, almost 70 years later, Cuban tree frogs are a big problem for most of Florida. As seen in the image below, green indicates areas that are densely populated with this species.
How to Identify a Cuban Tree Frog
Colors
There is no single color of Cuban tree frog, as you can see by the picture at the top of the post, the frogs that I found by my front door were gold and green, but their colors can vary from creamy white to light brown, even yellow, green, or dark brown. Sometimes they have bands across their front legs and a yellowish wash of color where the legs connect to the body
Warts
All Cuban tree frogs have warty skin on their back, and rough skin everywhere else. This is a good way to tell if it is a Cuban tree frog or a native, but the best way to tell is the…
Toe Pads
Cuban tree frogs have HUGE toe pads. If you look in the picture at the beginning of the post you distinctly notice the very large toe pads. And in the diagram below, the bottom foot is of a Cuban tree frog and the top is of a native frog. This is the most distinct way to tell if the frog you are dealing with is a Cuban.
Why Are They Invasive
Cuban Tree Frogs cause ecological harm to the current ecosystem, most importantly they are predators to the native tree frogs – running them out of their habitat and eating those who don’t leave. They also feed on insects, lizards and other small creatures. Floridians who have Cuban tree frogs in their yards notice a distinct lack of other native animals. Those animals that are not on the menu are driven out of their homes by a larger and more competitive species.
Below is a picture of a Cuban tree frog eating it’s native tree frog competition
Not only are the adults far more competitive, the tadpoles are as well. Both invasive species and native species use the same nesting grounds, and the invasive tadpole actually inhibits the growth and success rate of the native frogs tadpoles through severe competition for food and shelter.
Ecological effects are the most damaging, but they are not the only consequence of the rapid increase of Cuban Tree Frog populations. these frogs tend to stay near, or on, homes and businesses. They hunt at night by waiting on walls near lights to catch unsuspecting prey. Inevitably the defaecate on the walls which creates a rather unsightly, albeit, abstract piece of wall art. From personal experience, the stains don’t go away, even after bleach and a stiff scrubber brush.
These frogs also use any excuse to get into the house, which makes opening the door at night kind of like wack-a-mole. maybe you’ll get one in the house, maybe it’ll stay on the wall outside. From this behavior, these frogs can eventually end up in water pipe lines, toilets and showers.
What Can You Do
First thing to do if you notice a tree frog and live outside of the green in the Florida diagram above, please notify tadpole@ufl.edu, then if you’re brave enough, euthanize it. Putting them in a bag in the freezer is the same idea as putting a frog in water and heating it to boiling, they don’t feel their death.
Or, if you have a hard time with killing the frogs, you can move their home away from the front door and turn off the porch lights for a while so they wouldn’t attract insects and then attract frogs. Then inform the local agricultural center to let them know there is a Cuban Tree Frog infestation.
