Frog songs trill through summer

Summer is a great time for the family to listen to the sounds of the evening, and one of the most impressive sounds is the gray tree frog.

Gray tree frogs are tiny guys, seldom more than two inches in length and, as the name suggests, they generally live in trees, clutching and climbing with their flexible webbed and sticky toes. They have a mottled color, which can change from gray to green with black and yellow features, depending on the situation.

While they are rarely seen, their musical trills echo loudly through the night. Only the males call, usually to advertise their prowess to a female, but also to stake out territory.

On an average night in the East and Midwest, you can hear dozens of gray tree frogs trilling for hours. Since they live up to nine years, the frog you hear in your maple tree could be the same fellow you heard last year.

Your friendly neighborhood tree frogs likely live in your trees all year round, lowering their body temperature in the winter to survive temperatures of up to minus 8 degrees.
Listen to their calls on youtube.com.