Variable green tree frogs, grey tree frog, turtle to ID

Very cool- the frogs are gorgeous. I really like frogs.

Don't mean to sidetrack your thread, but the turtle reminded me of a story my son told me yesterday. He was biking down a busy street when he saw a large turtle crossing the road. Very large and old, like the a foot across or more. Probably a snapper from a nearby creek/ditch. Cars were slowing down. My son got off his bike and was making his way out to see what he could do for the turtle when this BI*CH in a big SUV came flying around the slowed cars, almost hit my son and ran over the turtle. The impact threw the turtle about 10-15 feet where he was then accidentally hit by other cars. He was completely smooshed. All I could think was how long that old turtle lived there in that ditch only to be killed - most likely on purpose - by some low life. Some people.

ID channel discusses tendencies of abusive criminals being cruel to animals often at youth.

Your green frogs are green tree frogs (Hyla cinerea in my day). One is hot and one is not (hence the difference in color). I used to keep one in an aquarium in my mom's kitchen. That frog could sense a change in the barometric pressure and would start calling a couple of hours or so before a thunderstorm.
Your grey frog is (are you ready?) a grey tree frog. I'm too lazy to look up whether you have Hyla versicolor (diploid), or Hyla chrysosecles (tetraploid). Yes one has twice as many chromosomes as the other and hence bigger cell sizes and calls at a faster rate (a distinctive warbling trill that once you learn what it is you will hear them almost every humid night in the right time of year). Yes they call in big choruses in the event of a good spring rain, but they also call individually on just about any summer night (perhaps as a territorial or opportunistic mating call). My second date with my first (and only) wife was focused around collecting these grey tree frogs in Illinois). That was well over 50 years ago, and I impressed her father when we returned with frogs. He opined, "I'll be damned they did go for frogs".

Rockjunquie started it so I've got to tell my fav turtle joke.
A high power astrophysics scientist was giving a lecture on the origin of the universe and all thing pertaining to earth, and finally asked for questions from the audience. An elderly lady stood up and said " young man, I mean no disrespect, but you are wrong . . . the earth rests on the back of a giant turtle". The speaker being as polite as possible replied "well lets just imagine for a moment what that turtle might be resting on . . . To which the lady replied "Another turtle of course". Okay replied the speaker but . . . when the lady interrupted and replied "You might as well give up young man, it's turtles all the way down." Having spent a good part of my professional career studying turtles, I fell that way. Its turtles all the way down!
Oh and by the way, it was riding to the Illinois river as a 10 year old kid with my grandfather who was going to purchase a truck load of live carp and catfish for his farm pond that cause the fishermen to give that bug eyed kid a few red eared sliders that started a life long interest in turtles and resulted in a pretty damned interesting career. Please forgive the nostalgia but turtles rock. Tom

Good stuff. Never met an animal, or insect - I took entomology also- that I didn't want to learn more about.

Thanks Tom. Looked up the grey. Answered questions regarding their color variations. Because many have so much green.

"There are two species of gray tree frog: Hyla chrysoscelis and Hyla versicolor, both of which look identical and can only easily be told apart by their call. In captivity they both require the same care. Adults reach a size of around 2 inches (5 cm). As their common name suggests, most are predominantly gray, although their ventral side is a light white, and on the inside of their hind legs there are two bright orange or yellow flash marks. Gray tree frogs have the ability to change color depending on temperature, humidity, light intensity, and the color of their surroundings. They can range from bright green, to pale white, to dark brown, although most of the time they remain gray. Juveniles are generally green in color and develop their gray adult coloration as they mature."

When the photo of the two greens together was taken I had to pull the foliage away from the darker one on the right, it was shaded.
The yellower on the right was in straight hot sun. Looked like a blob of melted yellow/green butter.

The green tree frogs often have a lot of yellow spots. Some heavily covered.
I see many variations as there may be a dozen different hatches occurring in any one greenhouse.
Many breedings and resulting many adults. I could tell you a list of aquatic emergents that the adults hang out in.

As they have been hanging out in the same plants for 25 years. And they pick plant colors and features that provide the best coverage.
Rate them with a high IQ and repeatability for choice of foliage to hang out in. Perhaps some attract their favorite bugs...
When working in each variety of plants I have no choice but to know where green tree frogs are present as the are stuck all over me.
Canna-Thalia species-Sagitaria species-Varigated green/yellow rush, etc. Most with a yellower green foliage similar to their skin.

One day I shot these tree frog photos at a container in the greenhouse full of Sagitaria. Only a few adults, not much variability.

www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/sets/72157635091723486

Forgot to mention, when these catterpilars are present, tree frogs are also. Must be tasty.
These are devestating catterpilars, move very fast and float on water to other plants.

Dang tiger moths: