Cuban tree frogs will grow to the size of a human hand, eat other frogs and now are in Georgia

If you're a homeowner in the Augusta area, chances are you've encountered a Cuban tree frog or two.

So, how did the Cuban tree frog, an invasive species, hitchhike its way to the Southeast?

Daniel Sollenberger, senior wildlife biologist with Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, said that next to the Argentine Black and White tegus the reptile or amphibian to be concerned about most is the Cuban tree frog.

Question: What does invasive species mean?

Answer: Invasive species are not only dangerous, they could also potentially cause ecological or economic problems as well as crop damage. There are exotic reptiles and amphibians that aren’t from Georgia, but wouldn't be classified as invasive. For example, the Mediterranean gecko, which are found in the Augusta area. 

“They live on people's houses and come out at night and eat bugs around your porch light,” said  Sollenberger. “They don't really cause problems. But the Cuban tree frogs could cause some ecological problems in suburban areas.”

Question: Where are you noticing the Cuban tree frog?

Answer: There are occasional individual Cuban tree frogs found across the Southeast. They’ve been known to turn up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

“They get transported around on vehicles or nursery plants,” said Sollenberger. “For instance, if you go to Lowe’s and buy a tree and if that tree came from a nursery in Florida there might be a Cuban tree frog hitching a ride on it.

"This past year was the first time we documented it. If you live around Brunswick (Georgia) or Savannah, they're breeding in retention ponds and ditches down there.  We don't know how far inland they could go because they’re somewhat tropical.”

Question: How have they been able to adapt to the climate in the Southeast?

Answer: They don’t handle the freezing temperatures well. 

“One thing that they've learned to take advantage of is the things we build our houses out of,” said Sollenberger. “They’ve been known to hide in transformer boxes. Electrical boxes are warmer because of the resistance of the electricity.”

Question: What kind of impact has the Cuban tree frog had on the ecosystem? 

Answer: The Cuban tree frog is eating a lot of the native wildlife.

“Like all frogs they're carnivores,” said Sollenberger. “They will eat a lot of insects. They will also eat anything that they can fit in their mouth. They will even eat smaller tree frogs. There's at least some anecdotal evidence from Florida that they actually can reduce populations of native frogs. If we want to have some native wildlife left in our yards, this could be a problem.”

Question: How big can a Cuban tree frog get? 

Answer: The Cuban tree frog can grow to be as big as 1.5 to 3 inches, according to the University of Florida. The color of the Cuban tree frog can vary, ranging from white to gray, green, or brown, and may be marked with irregular, dark stripes or blotches that fade when the frog changes color.

“They start out small, but they can quickly grow as big as your hand,” said Sollenberger. “It's a really big tree frog. They can get three times the size of our next largest native tree frog, which is the barking tree frog.”

Question: What can be done to control the Cuban tree frog population?

Answer: The first step is to remove places where they breed.

“It’s the same thing you would do to remove mosquitoes,” said Sollenberger. “Remove any standing water from around your property like a pool. If you find individual frogs in your yard, you can capture and euthanize them. We tell people to put Orajel on their back and that will knock them out.”

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If a homeowner is unsure whether or not they have Cuban tree frogs in their yard, they can contact the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division. 

Sollenberger can be reached by email at daniel.sollenberger@dnr.ga.gov.

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Funding Partners.

Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.