White's Tree Frog Habitat

White's tree frog (Litoria caerula) thrives in a moist, forested environment, yet adapts to seasonally dry habitats and even man-made structures. Also known as dumpy tree frog, northern green tree frog, common green tree frog and smiling frog, this species reaches a mature length of 3 to 4.5 inches. Named after John White in 1790, White's tree frog is Australia's first scientifically classified frog species.

  1. Distribution

    • White's tree frog inhabits northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia and the islands of the Torres Straits. Not to be confused with the American green tree frog (Hyla cinerea), the smiling frog was introduced to two southern counties in Florida.

    Habitat in Australasia

    • Litoria caerula, also known as common green tree frog

      Litorea caerula lives in a warm climate: daytime temperatures range from 80 to 86 F; night time temperatures range from 72 to 78 F. Humidity is about 60 percent. White's tree frog adapts to seasonally wet or dry habitats ranging from moist, coastal regions and tropical rain forests to arid habitats. This species occupies tree canopies, hollow tree trunks, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and rock crevices. During the wet season, rain from leaves and tree trunk crevices helps keep skin moist. During the dry season, White's tree frog exhibits crepuscular behavior with activity during twilight, both at dawn and at dusk. A waxy secretion covers their skin to help adapt to arid conditions. Frogs also help retain moisture by creating a cocoon of shed skin and mucus and by burrowing. The frog also occupies man-made, moisture-retaining structures such as canals, cisterns, ditches, drain pipes, sinks, toilets and water tanks in cities and suburbs. In dry weather they may try to enter private homes in search of water.

    Breeding Habitat

    • White's tree frogs eat heartily during the summer rainy season and then breed. Diet can include moths, crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, roaches, mosquitoes, spiders, flies, bats and small rodents. During breeding season, males move to still-water sources and emit their mating call from trees. Males sometimes use gutters and downspouts to echo their calls. Although this species does not live in water, their breeding habitat is a moist site for laying eggs. Females lay a clutch of 150 to 300 eggs that sink to a substrate or the bottom of man-made sites such as drainage systems and water tanks.

    Habitat in Florida

    • In Florida's southern counties, White's tree frog thrives in both natural and man-made habitats. Florida has a tropical monsoon climate that is warm and humid for much of the year. Dry winters follow wet summers. This introduced species can breed in weedy canals where they deposit floating eggs. According to the United States Geological Survey, White's tree frog may compete with Florida's native frogs. Frogs bred for the pet industry are raised in orchid shade houses. Some frogs flee and enter the ecosystem by accident.

    Conservation

    • In Australia, White's tree frog enjoys protection through the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers this a species of Least Concern.