Scientific name: Hyla gratiosa
These plump frogs are the largest native tree frogs in Florida. They’re known for their distinctive loud, barking call and can usually be found in swampy woods or pinelands.
Source: Great Outdoors
Appearance
Small and uniformly rugged, usually 2 to 2.5 inches long. Color varies from brown to green to gray. Many have round black spots with evenly spaced black borders on their backs.
Behavior
The barkwood usually lives in sandy areas in pine or swamp forests, often near standing water. They are known for their loud and distinctive barking. They breed in calm, shallow water such as swamps and marshes with lots of aquatic vegetation and few fish. During the coldest winter months, they hibernate by burrowing into sandy soil, or hiding in turtle and mouse burrows.
Dish
Insectivorous animals. They mainly feed on beetles and other small insects.
Habitat & Range
Primarily southeastern United States (west into Louisiana and north into Delaware)
Florida: Statewide except Everglades and Keys habitat. Nature.
They are arboreal, which means they climb and live in vegetation, but sometimes burrow into sandy or nutrient-rich soil as temperatures rise.
Remarkable
When these frogs feel threatened, they are known to inflate the air to appear larger or harder to swallow by their natural predators – snakes. In addition, these frogs have been known to live more than 10 years.
