(Linnaeus, 1758)
(= Hyla viridis - Eichwald, 1830; Hyla arborea var. orientalis Bedriaga, 1890)

Appearance. Small tree frogs, maximum body length- 53 mm (in Europe up to 60 mm). Coloring very changeable, change literally before our eyes, depending on the color of the substrate and the physiological state. Above, from grassy green to dark gray, bluish or brown. A dark strip with a white border on top runs along the sides of the head and torso, which forms a loop near the inguinal region. Bottom white or yellowish. In males throat dark.


Rear foot of common tree frog (1 - disks)

Spreading. A European species that inhabits the west and north of the Iberian Peninsula and almost the rest of Europe, except for the south of France, Italy, Great Britain and Scandinavia. On the territory of the former USSR, the northern border runs through the south of Lithuania, southern Belarus, southeast to the Kursk, Belgorod, Oryol and Tula (?) regions. In the Rostov region and the Volga-Kama region, it is absent. In the south it is found in Moldova and Ukraine. Isolated parts of the range are located in the south of Crimea and the Caucasus.

The distribution of the species in Russia requires additional study.

Systematics of the species. The species apparently consists of 4 subspecies. On the territory of the former USSR and Russia, 2 are represented. The European part of the range is occupied by the nominative subspecies, Hyla arborea arborea(Linnaeus, 1758). In the Caucasus from the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories and Dagestan in the north to Georgia, northeastern Armenia and Azerbaijan in the south lives Shelkovnikov's tree frog, Hyla arborea schelkownikawi Cernov, 1926.

Habitat. Tree frogs are tied to the forest zone, although they can be found in forest-steppe and even steppe regions. They live in broad-leaved and mixed forests, shrubs, rarely in meadows, at an altitude of up to 1250 m above sea level in the Carpathians and 2200 m in Azerbaijan. They are most common in floodplain and plain oak forests, alder forests, in floodplain meadows of rivers and lakes overgrown with shrubs, along the banks of reclamation ditches. They are found in gardens, gardens, parks, vineyards. They avoid coniferous forests, scree and bare rocks, alpine meadows in the Carpathians. In the Caucasus, they were found in the zone of subalpine meadows.

Activity. Activity is predominantly nocturnal. During the day, tree frogs sit huddled on the leaves of trees, shrubs or tall herbaceous plants (for example, rushes) and, due to their protective coloration, are difficult to distinguish. Tree frogs not only climb trees well, including perfectly smooth vertical surfaces, but they are also able to make long jumps and swim well. IN breeding season and later the calls of individual males can be heard during the day. Choirs of tree frogs are also sometimes heard on cloudy days.

Reproduction. tree frog in spring awaken in late March - early April, in Moldova in the first decade of April, in the Carpathians and Crimea in April-May, in the Caucasus in early March, at an air temperature of 8-12 ° C. Sometimes they have to overcome up to 750 m to get into the reservoir . The males arriving first concentrate along the edge of the reservoir.

For breeding use various well-warmed reservoirs with stagnant water and vegetation. These can be shallow water bodies in clearings or forest edges, puddles, swamps, reclamation ditches, shallow coastal part of lakes. In rivers and other flowing water bodies, tree frogs do not lay eggs. Intense night concerts arranged by males can continue until the end of May.

Spawning occurs at a water temperature of 13°C. The female lays around 690-1870 eggs in several portions in the form of small lumps (in Moldova 15-21 lumps of 21-56 eggs).

masonry lie at the bottom of a pond or are attached to plants. The spawning period is extended and lasts from the beginning of April to the end of July, in the Caucasus from the end of March to May. The diameter of the eggs with the shell is 3-4.5 mm, the egg is 1.0-1.6 mm.

Embryonic development lasts about 8-14 days. The size of the larvae after hatching is 8-9 mm. Larval development lasts 45-90 days. Before metamorphosis, tadpoles reach a length of 46-49 mm.


Appearance (a) and oral disc (b) of common tree frog tadpole

In the Carpathians, cases of wintering of larvae have been noted. Underyearlings 10-17 mm long and more come to land in the daytime in July - early September. Unlike adults, they are very active during the day and stay mainly on the grass near water bodies.

Maturity occurs in the third year of life with a body length of males 35 mm, females 37 mm and more. IN breeding season males in reservoirs numerically predominate. This is most likely due to the fact that females immediately leave water bodies after spawning, while males remain in them for a long time. The average annual mortality is about 34%. The maximum life span in nature is at least 12 years; in captivity live up to 22 years.

Nutrition. Among the feed, about 15-50% are flying insects. Tree frogs eat mainly various beetles, mostly leaf beetles, click beetles, besides Diptera, butterfly caterpillars, ants, as well as spiders, earwigs, etc. They hunt, as a rule, passively, hiding and quickly grabbing the victim that has appeared.

The tree frogs themselves become booty, mainly in water bodies, where they are caught by various reptiles and birds.

Wintering. They leave for wintering at the end of September - October. In the Caucasus and Crimea, they are active until November, and in warm winters can be met in December and January. Autumn migrations occur at night, but can also be observed during the daytime. The disappearance of tree frogs coincides with leaf fall. They hibernate in hollows, burrows, under tree roots, in forest litter, among brushwood and logs, in crevices of stone buildings, pits, cellars and cellars, and also, possibly, in silt and at the bottom of reservoirs.

Number and conservation status. common tree frog- general appearance. Estimates of its abundance were made mainly during the breeding season, when individuals concentrate in water bodies and are available for counting. It is not easy to detect it outside the reproductive period. The nominative subspecies is found on the territory of a number of reserves in Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, where most of its range is located in former USSR. In these countries, the position of the subspecies is generally safe and does not cause concern. A different situation develops in Russia, where the eastern boundary of the subspecies passes and where the nominative subspecies is not represented in any reserve. Meanwhile, according to a number of data, it is in Russia that a decrease in the number of the subspecies and its distribution is observed. It is possible that tree frogs of this subspecies completely disappeared in the region already in the 1980s. In this regard, urgent research and special protection measures are needed. Hyla arborea arborea is listed in the Red Data Book of Latvia (where it is absent) and Lithuania. It is not listed in the Red Book of the USSR and other European republics.

The Caucasian subspecies is quite common and lives on the territory of many reserves. His situation is good. It is not listed in the Red Book of Russia and the Transcaucasian republics.

Similar types. Easily recognizable look. In Transcaucasia, in a number of places it coexists (or is very closely distributed) with Asia Minor tree frog, from which it differs in the presence of an inguinal loop. Geographically isolated from the Far Eastern tree frog.

Ecological Center "Ecosystem" purchase color identification table " Amphibians and reptiles of central Russia"and computer identification of amphibians (amphibians) of Russia, as well as others teaching materials on aquatic fauna and flora(see below).

The red-eyed tree frog is an unusual amphibian of rich light green color with a bright expressive look. The tree frog is nocturnal. It lives in forests in the leaves of trees, but can swim.


Habitat

This representative of the tailless detachment comes from Central America and warm regions of Mexico.

Prefers damp tropics located in the lowlands, although it is found in the low foothills.

Appearance

It has a very modest size, the length of the calf is from six centimeters to eight. The head is rounded. Distinctive feature- large red eyes with vertical pupils.

Leathery upper eyelids and almost transparent lower eyelids are necessary for protection: while resting, it observes what is happening around through the membranes. With a possible attack in a tree frog, skin folds descend, bright red eyes scare predator, this gives the opportunity to escape. Active in the dark.

The tree frog has a frightening coloration, but it is not poisonous. The skin is smooth. Has a good sense of touch. The size and coloring depend on temperature, illumination and other parameters. The body can be either light green or dark. The sides of the tree frog are deep blue, the stripes on them are:

  • purple
  • brown
  • yellow

They are directed vertically or diagonally, the number of stripes is not the same in different populations (from 9 to 5-6). The belly is pure white or light cream. Her shoulders and hips are blue or orange. Bright orange fingers (and pads too) vary to light yellow.

The paws are equipped with suction cups, because of this, it climbs more than it is in ponds. There may be faint whitish spots or dark green lines on the back. Tree frogs change color from greenish (during the day) to brownish red (at dusk).

Lifestyle

The tree frog constantly stays in the trees, sleeps and feeds there. Likes heat (above 20 degrees).

The green frog wakes up at sunset, yawning and stretching, then stays awake. Moves by leaps for an impressive distance. In the heat it hides in the foliage.

Nutrition

Amphibian - is a carnivore, its diet consists of small insects that fit in the mouth (, spiders, flies, etc.).

Enemies

The main danger for tree frogs is snakes (parrot, cat-eyed, etc.), as well as lizards, birds, the bats And small mammals. Eggs are eaten by reptiles, etc.

They suffer from fungal infections. Fish, arachnids, and arthropods can destroy tadpole fry.

reproduction

During the rainy period of the tree frog, the most suitable weather for the appearance of offspring. Intensive mating occurs in June and October evenings. Males make different sounds: frightening - for competitors and inviting - for future partners. Due to the resonator bags, the sound is loud.

The frog begins to croak intensely before sunset the sound gets louder as the humidity rises. Female tree frogs spawn on branches hanging above the water surface, 35-45 eggs. They are protected by a gelatinous shell, which makes the eggs inconspicuous. By the time of hatching, each increases one and a half times. The incubation period for the tree green frog is one week.

tadpoles red-eyed frog appear at the same time, and they are washed into the reservoir. The fry grow up to 40 millimeters. After 2 and a half months, they turn into frogs. one of the largest inhabitants of the water element.

It is no coincidence that this small frog most often ends up in the terrariums of amateurs: after all, it is famous for its excellent appetite, peaceful character and interesting behavior. Keeping an ordinary tree frog at home is not difficult, and the only inconvenience that lies in wait for future owners is the morning "concerts" hosted by males from time to time. However, even such a problem can be solved - but more on that later.

If in March-April you find yourself at a forest lake, then it is likely that you will hear loud sounds of "crack" repeated five to seven, or even more times. If, moreover, you are observant and try to determine where the local "singer" is sitting, find out that it is by no means in the water, as one might assume. And most likely - in the reeds or in the leaves of coastal trees. Cautiously approaching the place where the marriage song sounds, take a closer look - and notice a small frog with disks on its fingertips. This is the common tree frog - the only representative of domestic amphibians that spends most of its life on trees (it's not for nothing that its name in Latin means "wood tree").


Frogs spend most of their lives outside water bodies. Typical habitats of these amphibians are broad-leaved and mixed forests, reclamation canal banks and river valleys overgrown with shrubs and tall grass. Often, tree frogs are found in settlements- for example, in Belarus, in the Brest region, in the city of Byaroza, trees were found right on the windows of individual houses.

Of course, for a safe "life at heights" certain body skills and special "tools" are required. Disks on the fingertips act as such “biodevices”. These extensions on the underside are covered with five-to-six-sided tubercles, the number of which can reach up to 13-20 thousand on one finger!

According to the mode of action, the discs resemble rubber suction cups; their structure is so efficient that tree frogs without special efforts are able to sit for hours on an absolutely smooth surface (for example, glass). Additional help is provided by a peculiar cellular structure of the skin on the throat and abdomen, where there are special glands. These glands secrete a sticky liquid, so that the tree frog seems to stick to the surface, "embracing" it with its skin.

But that's not all! Like chameleons, woodworts can change skin color. The main causes of color change are temperature and relative humidity. So, with a decrease in temperature and an increase in humidity, amphibians darken (this usually happens before wintering). Under similar conditions created in a terrarium, a change in the color of individual individuals from bright green to dark gray with a brown tint was observed. We add that tree frogs almost always darken even if they feel uncomfortable.

The most suitable time to catch these amphibians is in spring, the breeding season, when they gather near water bodies. In summer, tree frogs spend most of their time on trees, bushes or high herbaceous plants, and it is very difficult to notice them in connection with the masking color. The diet of woodworms is 96% composed of various forms invertebrates (with 15-20% flying). Usually tree frogs feed on leaf beetles, flea beetles, caterpillars, click beetles, ants, etc.

These amphibians are most active at dusk. Before "going hunting", they descend into dewy grass or a pond in order to take a bath. During the day, especially in dry weather, the skin of amphibians evaporates great amount moisture, and water supplies, of course, need to be replenished. The liquid rather quickly enters the body of tree frogs through the skin, and soon tree frogs can already start eating. They return to the top, into the foliage, and lie in wait for prey.

When catching prey, tree frogs, as a rule, use not only a long sticky tongue - they often make dizzying jumps, picking up an insect in the air. In this case, woodworts are forced to take into account two trajectories at the same time - for the head with the tongue and for the paws. The tongue should "meet" the victim, and the paws should grab onto something in time and prevent a fall.

At the same time, tree frogs aim with one turn of their heads, and not moving with their whole body, like, say, frogs or toads. Having grabbed the prey, which cannot be swallowed immediately, the woodworms help themselves with their front paws, pushing the resisting insect into the mouth.

At the same time, tree frogs "wink", slightly pressing their eyeballs inwards - as if they are squinting with pleasure. In fact, this game of blind man's buff allows the amphibian to push the prey further into the esophagus with the lower edge of the eyeballs.

A very important period in the life of tree frogs is wintering. Treewomen go to her at the end of September - in October; hide in hollows, abandoned burrows, voids under roots and forest floor, in crevices of stone houses, basements, in silt at the bottom of reservoirs, etc. As a rule, not all tree frogs survive severe frosts.

These amphibians emerge relatively early from wintering. In the southern regions, already in March, one can hear individual "soloists" resounding with their "cracks" on the shores of reservoirs. Tree frogs "scream" with the help of a superbly developed throat resonator (unlike real frogs, in which two resonators are located on the sides of the head). At the same time, the skin on the throat is inflated into a small golden ball; releasing air from there, males make sounds similar to duck quacking, but of a higher tone.

It is by the presence or absence of a resonator on the throat that it is easiest to determine the sex of a tree frog. Naturally, you will not wait until the "bird sings" - after all, she may not "sing" if it is a female. It is much easier to carefully turn the animal over and see what color the skin on its lower jaw is. If it's white, it's a female; if it's golden, it's a male. At the same time, it should be remembered that tree frogs reach sexual maturity in the third or fourth year of life, and the skin of the young is likely to be equally white.

Another way to determine the sex of tree frogs (and almost all anurans) is to imitate amplexus. Amplexus is the position of the male on the female during the breeding season, when the male picks up and squeezes the female from the sides, under her front paws.

In nature, confusion can very often occur, and “in a fit of passion”, without understanding properly who is in front of him, the male is able to grab the male in amplexus. Once in such a piquant position, the male from below emits a special cry with the help of a resonator, which can be roughly translated as "go away, pervert!".

So, if you take any tailless amphibian (including a tree frog) and carefully (!) squeeze it from the sides behind the front paws, the male will definitely inflate the resonator a little and, most likely, will croak.

But even if he silently takes down your "dirty harassment", all the same, the sagging skin in the place where the resonator should be will unmistakably tell you: this is a male. And vice versa, in the event that all squeezing did not lead to anything, you have a representative of the weaker sex in front of you.

So, in May, in the same reservoirs, on the banks of which the males "gave concerts" all spring, mating and spawning begin. The fecundity of tree frogs is relatively low - 500-1400 eggs, which the female lays in portions of 4-100 pieces in the form of small lumps. At the beginning - about 70%, the second portion is only 20%, and the last - only 10%. It has been established that the number and size of eggs increase with the age of females. So, two-year-old tree frogs lay about 500 eggs with a diameter slightly less than 1 mm, three-year-olds - about 800 eggs with a diameter of 1.2 mm, four-year-olds - about 1100 eggs with a diameter of 1.4 mm, and five-year-olds - more than 1300 eggs with a diameter of 1.6 mm.

Treeworts prefer to spawn in stagnant, well-warmed reservoirs. Tree frogs usually spawn at night (after 11 p.m.), one pair copes with this in 1-6 hours.

IN adverse conditions caviar is able to remain viable for a long time. Since its lumps lie at the bottom or among aquatic vegetation, it is difficult to notice them - and there are enough lovers to eat caviar in nature (almost all aquatic predators, some birds, etc.).

The development of embryos occurs within 8-12 days. Then tadpoles develop for 80-90 days, and only then they go through the process of metamorphosis. The larvae of tree frogs are olive-yellow in color with a metallic sheen on the abdomen. The caudal fin is wide, pointed at the end, the dorsal crest begins approximately at eye level. On upper lip oral disc - 2 rows of cloves, on the lower - 3. Having passed the process of metamorphosis, young treeworts at first stay mainly on the grass near water bodies and are very active during the day. As a rule, therefore, it is they who most often fall into the terrariums of amateurs.

If you decide to have these cute animals in your home, first of all take care of a home for them. Tree frogs need a vertical type terrarium, i.e. one in which the height will be greater than the length and width, with a shallow body of water and dense vegetation. Unlike their foreign relatives, common tree frogs do not break stems and leaves, only the largest individuals can occasionally harm a particular plant. Therefore, you can get creative with the design of the terrarium. True, it should be remembered: the terrarium should be equipped so that it is convenient to clean it.

It is best to put a drainage layer on the bottom (for example, fine expanded clay), and on top - sphagnum moss. It is more rational to plant plants in flower pots, which are installed at the bottom and decorated outside with the same moss. The most suitable for a terrarium with tree frogs are numerous representatives of aroids and bromeliads; in the latter case, it is necessary to avoid specimens with leaves on which spines grow.

Woodworms do not need a deep pool, so it is enough to place a small photocell in the terrarium, where, as necessary, add fresh settled water at room temperature. It is also advisable to spray the terrarium with a sprayer several times a week and water the plants daily.

The question often arises: is it possible to put a snag in a terrarium for tree frogs? Since amateurs are most often not able to properly disinfect wood, sooner or later such a "snag" gives rise to a certain number of problems. It is best to pick up this piece of terrarium decoration at the Bird Market or pet store, or limit yourself to a certain number of tall and climbing plants. The latter can also be planted in flowerpots specially glued from glass and attached to the walls of the terrarium.

We must not forget that living plants need constant care, mineral supplements, pruning, etc. As an alternative option, some hobbyists (who can afford it) opt for artificial plants.

A few words about the "electrification" of the terrarium. Depending on its volume, a light bulb is also selected (fluorescent or incandescent, combined lamps are also possible). The main thing is that all electrical wiring is outside! - after all, in a terrarium with tree frogs, it is necessary to maintain relatively high level humidity.

And one more thing: it is better to build a door in a terrarium on the side and at least not leave the top open - you are dealing with first-class climbers. Otherwise, you will have to look for fugitives throughout the room.

Now about the animals themselves. You select their number depending on your own capabilities - remember, the more tree frogs you have in the terrarium, the more food they need and the larger the terrarium itself should be. Try not to keep many males at once if possible - unless, of course, you need a free morning alarm clock.

It is best to feed the animals with tweezers, especially if you have several tree frogs. In this case, you will not only be able to control the amount of food that each inhabitant of the terrarium receives, but also, if necessary, begin to feed certain doses of vitamins. Since an overdose can lead to the death of the animal, the ability to control the amount of multivitamin complex fed is very important.

Very quickly tree frogs, even taken from nature, get used to human hands and to tweezers. Since treeworts use their tongues to grab their prey, you'll have to work hard to retrain them. But over time - and very quickly - tree frogs begin to "figure out" what's what and grab the insect with their jaws, so you can safely open the tweezers and let the amphibian swallow food. The diet of woodworms includes almost all invertebrates. At home, it is most convenient to feed them with special fodder cockroaches, flies, etc.

It is better not to lay animals for wintering, replacing it with a small temperature (12-14 ° C) and light diapause, during which the animals are not fed. As for tree frog breeding at home, I'm afraid this is unlikely to succeed - mainly because of the "sound attack" that not only you, but also your neighbors will be subjected to. However, if there is such a desire - go for it and good luck to you!

But even limiting yourself to the content of woodworts, you will get great pleasure watching these interesting and cute amphibians.

800-1000 rub.

common tree frog (Hyla arborea)

Class - Amphibians

Squad - Tailless

Family - Tree frogs

Genus - Common tree frogs

Appearance

Size 35-45 mm, in Europe it reaches a length of up to 5 cm. The length of the lower leg is 2 times less than the distance from the cloacal opening to leading edge eyes. Common tree frog appearance similar to a small frog, with long and thin legs. Excellent climbs on smooth vertical surfaces, jumps and swims well. The eyes are large and expressive. The ends of the fingers of the tree frog are widened, with suction discs. Between the fingers of the hind limbs there are membranes. The skin on the back is smooth, on the ventral side coarse-grained. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed: males have a large resonator on the throat, marriage calluses on the first finger of the forelimbs. The tree frog is painted bright green above, white-yellow below. The top is separated from the bottom by a thin black strip forming a loop upwards in the groin area with a white border on the upper side. There is no dark spot under the eye. Color is very variable and depends on humidity, temperature environment and the background on which the tree frog is located. in clear warm weather frogs are light green; in cool gloomy weather it becomes brown or dark gray; during hibernation become very dark; and spotted tree frogs come across among the forbs.

Habitat

Southern and Central Europe, northwestern Africa, Asia Minor, Caucasus. Subspecies live on the Amur, in China, Korea and Japan.

The tree frog lives in broad-leaved and mixed forests, shrubs, meadows, river valleys, reclamation canal banks, as well as in gardens and parks, vineyards and other types of anthropogenic landscapes. In the mountains it rises up to 1500 m above sea level.

In nature

It spends most of its life on trees, bushes or tall herbaceous plants, where it completely blends into the background on which it keeps, and it can be difficult to notice. It willingly inhabits the lower and middle tiers of the forest, while rising to a height of about 2 m. The common tree frog leads a predominantly twilight and nocturnal lifestyle. At dusk, it descends to the ground, bathes in dew or water and hunts. He spends the day motionless, attached to a leaf or simply to tree trunk, grasping the prey flying by. For wandering through the trees, tree frogs have suction discs on their fingers, which hold them firmly on the smooth surface of leaves and tree trunks. With the help of these disks, tree frogs can climb up the wet surface of glass, and when resting on vertical surfaces, for reliability, stick to them with their abdomen.
In September - October they go for wintering in forest floor, moss, abandoned burrows, hollows, under heaps of stones, tree roots with deep entrances, in silt at the bottom of reservoirs. They wake up in April-May and gather in large numbers near water bodies. Spawning sites can be removed from wintering sites at a distance of 100 m to 10 km. 96% of the total diet is terrestrial food (fleas, nutcrackers, leaf beetles, caterpillars and orthoptera), including 15-20% of flying insects. When catching prey, the common tree frog throws out a long sticky tongue that hits the victim, and when captured big booty pushes it into his mouth with his front paws.

reproduction

Common tree frog spawns in stagnant, well-heated water bodies. It prefers more or less open areas with water bodies, the banks of which are densely bordered by grassy vegetation (for example, reeds and reeds), shrubs and trees.
Spawning begins when the water temperature in the reservoir rises to 13 "C. During the breeding season, males begin their concerts even before dawn and scream all night, guarding their territory and shouting warning rivals that it is already occupied. Females descend into the reservoir when it becomes very dark.Axillary amplexus.If there is no large reservoir in the neighborhood, tree frogs spawn in any hole filled with water.The female can use small accumulations of water to lay eggs in the axils of the leaves of some plants, in hollows, on wet areas of soil overgrown with moss, etc. If the eggs are laid outside the water, then the gelatinous shell of the eggs protects the eggs from drying out - with a lack of moisture, it becomes thicker, becoming covered with a film and preventing moisture from evaporating.
Caviar is deposited on the bottom of a reservoir or aquatic vegetation dense lumps of spherical shape. One female lays up to 800-1000 eggs in several portions within 2-3 days.
With the age of females, the number and size of eggs increases. For example, two-year-old tree frogs lay about 500 eggs (diameter about 1 mm), three-year-olds - about 800 eggs (diameter 1.2 mm), four-year-olds - about 1100 eggs (diameter 1.4 mm), and five-year-olds - more than 1300 (diameter 1.2 mm). 6 mm). Parents after spawning return to the trees.
The breeding season starts from the second half of March to mid-June. In the mountains, spawning is delayed by about a month. First, the males wake up, and after 6-8 days the females come out.
Puberty at the age of 3-4 years. The larvae hatch on the 9-10th day, 5-10 mm long (including the tail).
Frog caviar develops at the bottom of reservoirs. The tadpoles are light, yellowish, they are wide, the eyes are strongly shifted to the sides. The gill opening is on the left side of the body and points back and up, while the anus is on the right side. The caudal fin is high with a pointed end. The upper lip of the oral disc has two rows of denticles, while the lower lip has three. On the fourth day, the larvae develop short external gills. If the eggs were laid directly on wet ground, then the larvae hatch with underdeveloped gills or without them.
Hind limbs grow at the age of 50 days. Before metamorphosis, tadpoles are about 125% of the size of adults. Metamorphosis occurs after 3 months, when young tree frogs grow up to 45-50 mm in length.
There is evidence that the mortality of young tree frogs during the year reaches 34-95% (according to different authors). After metamorphosis, young tree frogs stay near water bodies for some time, and then go to wintering grounds. Life span 12 years.

Tree frogs need a vertical type (20 × 20 cm along the bottom and 50 cm in height), with a shallow reservoir (about 5-10 cm deep - they like to dive periodically) and dense vegetation (moisture-loving plants), plus aquarium plants in the very reservoir - underwater and floating on the surface of the water. At the bottom of the reservoir, you should put an aquarium and install a large stone - tree frogs will be happy to sit on it. It is possible to launch several snails into the reservoir - snails, for natural cleaning of the walls (they will feed on aquatic plants). It is better to build a door in a terrarium from above and not leave the top open - you are dealing with first-class climbers. It is convenient to launch crickets and flies through the top door and close it instantly. Otherwise, you will have to look for fugitives all over the room - both tree frogs and their food. You can use another type of terrarium - without plants in flowerpots, but with big amount aquarium plants floating in the pond. 30 × 30 cm along the bottom, 40 cm high. In this case, water is poured up to half, large aquarium plants are installed and launched. Thus, tree frogs will also feel comfortable both in water and on land.

It is best to feed the animals with tweezers, especially if you have several tree frogs. You will not only be able to control the amount of food that each inhabitant of the terrarium receives, but also, if necessary, give certain doses of vitamins. first it is necessary to feed with vitamins for amphibians and then give the "filled" to the tree frogs. The diet of woodworms includes almost all invertebrates. At home, it is most convenient to feed them with cockroaches (but not neighbors, if any - they can be pickled), flies.

The common tree frog is a small, graceful frog with long hind limbs. Body length rarely reaches 5 cm. Her skin is smooth and shiny.

The usual color of the upper side of the body is emerald green. But the common tree frog is a real chameleon among amphibians: depending on the color of the substrate on which it is located, and on the temperature, its color can acquire various tones of green, brown, gray. Sometimes you can even see white or yellow tree frog. On the sides of the head through the eye and eardrum there is a dark line. The ventral side is white or yellow. Males have developed throat resonators. Besides, in mating season they, like other anurans, have nuptial calluses on their fingers, but they are poorly developed and hardly noticeable on the miniature fingers of this frog.

Where does the common tree frog live?

The common tree frog is a widespread species in Europe; outside of Europe, it is found in Transcaucasia and Turkey. Its range enters the territory of Russia in several places. This is the south of the Kaliningrad region, the southwestern regions of the Central European part of the country, Ciscaucasia. It is possible that populations of this species have survived in the basin upstream Volga.

Usually a calm tree frog sits on plants - trunks, branches, leaves of trees and shrubs, among the grass. At the same time, the limbs are matched to the body, and the tree frog itself resembles a neat leaf, moreover, as a rule, it takes on the same color as the surrounding background. Therefore, it can be quite difficult to notice it.

Lifestyle

Although the usual pastime of a tree frog is to sit completely still somewhere on a bush, in reality it is a very active animal: it swims perfectly, jumps on the ground like real frogs, easily climbs any plants and “flies” from branch to branch.

Motionless sitting tree frogs are invisible not only to us, but also to insects. Of course, the tree frog will not miss the opportunity to grab an inadvertently approaching fly, but this is so, in between times (rest). The real hunt begins at dusk. Before this, if there is such an opportunity, the tree frog bathes, replenishing the moisture lost during the day (after refreshing water procedures body weight of a tree frog can increase by 40 percent) and then proceeds to search for prey. In the dark, she sees as well as during the day, and collects all living creatures. Unlike clumsy toads, tree frogs can also catch small, mobile animals. A significant part of its diet is made up of flying insects: flies, mosquitoes, small butterflies. A mosquito is quite a decent prey for this tiny frog, and tree frogs eat so many of these annoying insects that they deserve our special gratitude. On occasion, a tree frog can catch something in the water. It captures small prey with a “shot” of a sticky tongue, grabs larger prey with its jaws and pushes it into its mouth with the help of its front paws.

In the season of activity, tree frogs, unlike our other amphibians, never hide in terrestrial shelters - burrows, crevices, heaps of foliage. They sleep, and rest, and take refuge (from heat, bad weather, predators) among foliage and grass. Only for wintering tree frogs go underground - into the holes of other animals, cracks under stones or in the ground; may winter in hollows or at the bottom of water bodies.

Tree frog breeding

For reproduction, tree frogs need stagnant ponds with banks overgrown with tall plants- trees, shrubs, reeds. Males sit either in the water or on these plants and "sing" attract females. The mating signal of males consists of rhythmic series, each of which has four to six sharp sounds, similar to "app-app-app-app". Thanks to the developed resonators, the sounds are quite strong, considering what a tiny animal makes them. All local males gather to the spawning reservoir, and an impressive choir is formed. "Singing" is especially intense in the evening, but some males "sing" during the day. Females come to the breeding site for a short time - only to lay eggs, while males stay here for the entire period. Therefore, there are always more males in the reservoir than females, and the latter have big choice. In the competition for females, males use two main techniques. Firstly, intense singing that attracts females. Secondly, the protection of its territory - a certain section of the reservoir, on which the male does not let rivals. It is clear that those who do not have such a territory simply have nowhere to breed, even if they manage to attract a female. As a rule, larger and stronger males take possession and hold the territory. The success of mating "singing" is associated with the size of the body - the trills of massive males have different frequency characteristics than those of small ones, and nature has determined that the sound frequencies of large individuals are more attractive to females. The latter seem to know that the owners of such a “voice” are in the most suitable place for laying and breeding future offspring. However, the common tree frog, like many tailless amphibians with developed mating "singing", has developed its own figurative tactics of behavior, which allows even those males who did not manage to take over the territory, still leave offspring. Small males sit silently near the "singing" large ones and, on occasion, intercept females heading towards them. A pair can form already on land, and the “invader” cannot be thrown off by any force.

The female lays from 3 to 21 portions of eggs, each of which is a lump of 15-215 eggs attached to plants in the water. One female can lay up to 1800 eggs. The development of embryos lasts one to two weeks, and the larvae grow one and a half to three months. Often the larvae hibernate and turn into small tree frogs only on next year. Miniature tree frogs that have completed their metamorphosis for the first time stay near the shore of their native reservoir, and then, like adults, they look for a place for wintering. They reach sexual maturity at the age of two to four years. In nature, they can live up to twelve years. When kept in a terrarium, they reach a more respectable age; a case is known when the common tree frog lived in captivity for 22 years.

The population density of tree frogs is quite high compared to other amphibians. In some places, tree frogs are as common as any grasshoppers, especially during the period when juveniles that have passed metamorphosis come to land. Despite the jumping ability of tree frogs and their ability to hide, practically merging with surrounding objects, numerous predators do not ignore them.

Common tree frog is one of the most striking examples of the rapid extinction of amphibians. Over the past century, its range within Russia has significantly decreased - it is reliably known that in several central regions of the European part and on Southern Urals during this period the species disappeared. Tree frog populations are also dying in other European countries. The main reason for this sad process is the destruction and industrial pollution of the biotopes of the species. In many countries, the common tree frog is included in the lists of specially protected animals.

Tree frogs are a favorite object of keeping in terrariums. Beautiful and miniature, like porcelain figurines, bright and periodically changing color, clean, they are also always in sight (unlike many other amphibians, which you will never see in a terrarium); they are interesting to watch, they are easy to feed (preferably with specially bred house flies and fruit flies), they adapt well to captivity and live in a terrarium for a long time. The technique of breeding and raising tree frogs in captivity has been worked out and is not very difficult. However, catch in natural environment and bring home, and even more so release the tree frog later in another place should not be. tree frog different types bred specially and sold for home maintenance, so as not to harm natural populations.