Cuban tree frog: Invasive species takes over resident's yard

WINTER HAVEN -- Over the past year, Barb Stall has noticed an increase in the frog population at her home on Lake Jessie. But they are not the frogs she usually sees, these guys are whitish in color and something of a pest.

"These frogs have really become an issue over the past year," said Stall. "I have never noticed them before. The worst problem is when they stick to my windows and create a mess. They have also been killing all of our other frogs. We used to have toads and tree frogs and I haven't seen any."

The frogs even get inside her house. "I've brought flower pots inside my home and I've found them hiding inside. I've seen them in my barbecue grill as well and inside my sliding glass door."

As the name suggests, the amphibian is native to Cuba but is also found in the West Indies, according to Kristen Sommers, who leads the Florida Wildlife Commission's impact management section. The Cuban tree frog is listed as an invasive species, which is a species of animal or plant that is introduced by people outside its native range and has the ability to cause damage ecologically, economically and perhaps to human life, Steven Johnson, an associate professor at the University of Florida said. Johnson also is a researcher at the university's Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation.

"Here in Florida, the Cuban tree frog is known to eat native tree frogs, which is the ecological damage," said Johnson. "They can also cause short circuits in homes by getting into A/C units. These frogs also have a skin secretion that can send people to the hospital."

http://www.bradenton.com/2015/08/01/5922718/cuban-tree-frog-invasive-species.html#