Big Excitement Sometimes Comes in Small Packages.

 As you may recall from this post I was finally successful at introducing frogs to my garden.  Unfortunately, the frogs I introduced were bullfrogs from the eastern part of the U.S. which are not native here and haven't made a sound in my garden.  Since they've been successful for a couple of summers, one choosing to stay in the koi pond and a couple preferring a large water-water filled pot that hosts a Thalia dealbata, perhaps our native tree frogs will be successful here as well.   I've worked at keeping my beds full of fallen and rotting things (this is how I justify my laziness) and leaving lots of areas kind of wild with water catchers large and small around the garden to try and create an hospitable habitat.  Recently at my school, my pal Christina (you may recall her bug and dahlia adventures here.)  has found three native tree frogs each about a week apart.  I learned too late that transporting these to new areas is not recommended as they have strong homing instincts and may be killed trying to return home.  However, it's been about 4 weeks since the first couple of tree frogs, that narrowly escaped the running feet of children and the blades of the school lawn mower, were introduced and I hear their lovely song at various times of the day so maybe they are happy here.

Today, this little fellow jumped right in front of my friend Kim who announced it's presence to Chistina who promptly scooped it up and created the fancy Dixie cup modular home. Here (s)he is being released.  These are in an area as far from the bullfrogs as possible.


I've been  thrilled to hear the sweet frog croaking in my garden!  Christina's son, Cole, found the following two just this evening in their garden which is overrun with the critters!   The markings on this one are quite different from the others.  Is it a different kind of frog or do markings of tree frogs vary?
 Christina sent these pictures of these two new pals for the three in my garden.  I hope that they'll be happy here and create lots of offspring!  We certainly have a lot of bugs for them to eat!