Herpetofauna: One Life's List

Hyla squirella
Squirrel Treefrog

South Padre Island, Texas
February 1995

Tucked in amongst the pumphouses and shrubbery of the condominium communities on South Padre Island, these little frogs were probably introduced there by human means, hitching rides on greenhouse plants.  They seem to be fairly common in the inhabited south end of the island.

The frog in the photo was secured in an unusual way. It was the last hour of the last day of a trip to South Carolina, and as we returned to the vehicle to start the long trip home, someone made the comment that it would have been nice to find just one more species before we left.  As I got in the passenger seat I noticed this frog on the windshield, and then my tired mind figured out it was on the inside of the windshield.  I opened my mouth to say "Hey, here's a frog!" and just them the frog jumped - right in my open mouth!  Well, that's a novel way to catch one last herp, and how many people can claim they know what a Squirrel Treefrog tastes like?