What Do Green Tree Frogs Eat?

Quick Take

• Australian green tree frogs don't just eat insects. Their diet includes prey that would genuinely surprise most frog owners. See their full diet →
• When offered bigger prey versus more active prey, green tree frogs make a counterintuitive choice, a fact that research has confirmed. Explore the feeding data →
• The way a green tree frog's tongue works makes escape nearly impossible for its prey. See the tongue mechanics →
• Australian green tree frogs have a health risk tied directly to their feeding behavior. Learn the health risk →

The American green tree frog (Dryophytes cinereus, formerly Hyla cinerea) and the Australian green tree frog (Litoria caerulea) are among the most common frogs on Earth. The American green tree frog is exceptionally common throughout the Southeastern United States around swamps and lakes, while the Australian green tree frog is widespread throughout the continent, where it has adapted to suburban environments and is frequently found indoors in toilets, sinks, and drains. Although these two distinct species differ in a variety of ways, including size and temperament, they are both primarily nocturnal, arboreal insectivores that feed on a variety of live invertebrates, which they actively hunt using ambush techniques. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about what green tree frogs eat.

What Do Green Tree Frogs Eat?

As insectivores, a large percentage of the green tree frog’s diet is insects. Frogs play an important part in any ecosystem by keeping insect populations down.

American green tree frogs eat flies, mosquitoes, crickets, and really anything they can easily eat. Frogs aren’t picky eaters when it comes to bugs, and the American tree frog is no different. While they may eat any insect, they do seem to have a preference. One study revealed that American green tree frogs prefer more active prey, even more so than larger prey. The study analyzed the dietary habits of the frogs, determining that 90% of the American green tree frog’s diet consisted of insects that needed to be actively pursued. The other 10% consisted of opportunistic prey, in which the bug was convenient.

Australian green tree frogs are about twice the size of the American species, allowing them to stalk and ambush larger prey. Australian green tree frogs eat spiders, crickets, mosquitoes, lizards, cockroaches, and other frogs. Laboratory specimens have been documented to eat small mice. Australian green tree frogs are prone to overeating and can become obese.

Foods that American and Australian green tree frogs eat include:

• Ants
• Mosquitoes
• Crickets
• Cockroaches
• Moths
• Flies
• Spiders
• Grasshoppers
• Worms
• Slugs
• Lizards (Australian only)
• Other frogs (Australian only)
• Small lab mice (Australian only)

Green tree frogs are primarily nocturnal and usually eat at night in the wild. In captivity, adult green tree frogs should be fed every other day, offering as many appropriately sized insects as they can eat in one feeding, which is the amount of appropriately sized, gut-loaded insects they consume within 10–15 minutes.

How Do Green Tree Frogs Hunt?

Both species of green tree frogs use similar methods to hunt their prey. Frogs only have a single row of teeth in their upper jaw. These teeth are designed to hold insects in place while the frog chews them with its jaws.

Upon detecting prey, a frog employs its long, sticky tongue, projecting it quickly and capturing the insect in short order. Due to this high-speed strike, the prey has virtually no time to react and is often instantly incapacitated. Once their tongue and the prey are in their mouths, the frogs chew the bug by squishing it and swallowing it nearly whole.

Where Do Green Tree Frogs Live?

American green tree frogs are found near lakes, marshes, streams, and water runoffs. They can occasionally be seen perched on windows, using their sticky feet to sit and wait for bugs going near lights. Their habitat spreads from Delaware all the way south to Florida and as far west as Texas. They are abundant in North Carolina, especially in the Piedmont and coastal plains near the swamps.

Australian tree frogs are found in eucalyptus stands and tropical forests in the northwestern areas of Australia and the jungles of New Guinea. Australian green tree frogs can regulate their skin’s moisture and survive wet and dry cycles better than their American counterparts.

What Eats Green Tree Frogs?

Tree frogs aren’t considered a keystone species (a species that an ecosystem depends on), but they are still an exceptionally important part of their ecosystems. Reducing mosquito populations is important, but green tree frogs are also an important food source for other animals.

Green tree frog predators include birds, fish, frogs, snakes, and cats. While large raptors don’t typically eat frogs, aquatic birds do. Storks, egrets, herons, kingfishers, swans, ducks, and even crows will eat frogs. American tree frogs often tuck in their legs and arms while sitting on green grass, becoming nearly invisible.

Small fish and predatory fish eat frogs and their tadpoles as a primary source of prey. Sunfish, bluegill, and perch will eat small frogs and their eggs. Large fish like bass, pike, muskie, and trout will eat frogs, and frogs are often used as bait in sport fishing.