Tree Frog

I hardly ever see tree frogs and I probably would have missed this one if my daughter hadn't spotted it on a Mayapple while we were hunting for morels with friends.  This is most likely an Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor).  Michigan has two species of Gray Tree Frogs that are difficult to distinguish without genetic testing, so this one could be a Cope's Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis).

These frogs can change color from grey to green and they can be solid colored or have a mottled pattern.  Color changes let them hide from predators by blending into the background.



photo by Maria Stull