Coqui Frog observations !

[Lee G]

Post your observations here! Here's a few of mine.
1.The coqui must be made of rubber because I have stepped on them with full weight and twisted foot around to really smoosh them and lift foot to see frog hop away.

Lee

[JerryCarr]

I recently learned that the little buggahs don't even need water to breed in. They lay eggs with cases to protect the tadpoles and hatch out froglets ready to infest your bushes.

[Da Stef]

I found one in the kids' bathtub the other day. and another in their room on a different day. That hadn't happened to us before. I have no idea how they get in. and past the cat.

[Andrew]

I have found a few inside my place as well. They are great climbers and great jumpers and have a knack of hiding in tight out of the way places. I keep my shoes on the front Lanai and have more than once been half way to the mailbox at the end of my lane only to discover one of them squirming around inside my shoe.

Besides coquis there is another type of invasive frog called a greenhouse frog which is equally noisey at night. They have smaller heads and I think they are a little less noisy when compared to the coqui.

Lee G. - I find that you can't step on them on grass or like you say they will hop away (laughing at you). You need to catch the little varmints with your hand (not that hard to do) then carry them to a sidewalk, roadway or cinder area before doing your stomping. The sad thing is that there are a couple dozen more ready to take the place of the deceased.

Has anyone who has chickens noticed if they will eat the frogs?

quote:

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I found one in the kids' bathtub the other day. and another in their room on a different day. That hadn't happened to us before. I have no idea how they get in. and past the cat.

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Edited by - Andrew on 04/11/2006 20:18:34

[JerryCarr]

When I pulled into the Safeway parking lot the other day and got out of my truck, a coqui jumped out of the wheel well and started hopping across the lot. I managed to stomp that one, but it made me wonder how many infestations I may have unknowingly started that way. No wonder they are spreading everywhere!!!

[pam jones]

Like I said before, just a matter of time before they start affecting the pocket book. In the event that there are any Eden Rocers who may be interested in keeping them from destroying any hope of a quiet nights sleep, Bill Christie and a small (very small)band of volunteers are clearing paths off 2nd and 11th to use a 400 gallon sprayer which will be on loan starting tomorrow. Also, I will be getting a 100 gallon sprayer for my yard in HPP if anyone wants me to drive over and help you out let me know. Thanks to a concerned citizen in my neighborhood I now have the right gear. PLEASE don't give up and listen to the hardward guy from Pahoa!pj

[pam jones]

Like I said before, just a matter of time before they start affecting the pocket book. In the event that there are any Eden Rocers who may be interested in keeping them from destroying any hope of a quiet nights sleep, Bill Christie and a small (very small)band of volunteers are clearing paths off 2nd and 11th to use a 400 gallon sprayer which will be on loan starting tomorrow. Also, I will be getting a 100 gallon sprayer for my yard in HPP if anyone wants me to drive over and help you out let me know. Thanks to a concerned citizen in my neighborhood I now have the right gear. PLEASE don't give up and listen to the hardward guy from Pahoa!pj

[Hotzcatz]

The County has nice sprayers you can borrow, we just got a bigger 400 gallon one on a trailer. There is also a program to reimburse folks for the hydrated lime they purchase to spray frogs with as well. Up the coast here, we have community frog groups who gather to clear out areas. Each area has a Head Frog Hunter (that's may name for them, they probably have a more official name) who folks will report frog sightings to. It is structured somewhat like Neighborhood Watch, I think.

Here up the coast, we get sporatic infestations which get cleared up until another frog manages to get here. It is much easier to get rid of the first few frogs than to clear them out of a heavily infested area. Soon as you hear one (if you live in a frog free area) kill it immediately! Don't just listen to one frog chirp and think it sounds cute and you can learn to live with it - he will always bring his friends and then it is horrendous. By the time they reach that concentration it is much more difficult to get rid of them. Get rid of any frogs you can hear, even if it isn't specifically your yard. We take out frogs along the side of the road, in construction areas, where ever we find them.

Get super soakers for the kids and load them up with hydrated lime. The high school kids taking a census of frogs in Kalopa park used the super soakers to good advantage since they needed the frog bodies for thier census count. The County sprayers work well for larger areas but you still have to spray the frog, not the area. Just spraying the area when the frogs aren't there won't kill them, although you'd think it would.

Getting rid of coquis can be done, but it is going to take all the communities working together to do it. Also, if you find out anyone is spreading the frogs on purpose, turn them in to the police as well as the neighborhood aunties since it is very illegal as well as anti-social.

Just my two cents.

A hui hou,
Cathy

[Carey]

We rented near the ocean in HPP. We heard one frog chirping over on a neighbors rock wall (about 5 houses away). Didn't think we had any until we were gathering up some dead palm fonds, the little buggers were hopping out out the leaves! Even found that one (at least) hitched a ride to the transfer station (where we dispatched it). There was absolutley no chirping on the property we were renting, but there were frogs! So even in silence you may ahave a few.
Aloha, Carey

[Hotzcatz]

Perhaps if the folks in Puna asked, they would also have one of these classes in your area? Otherwise, it is a very long drive. Maybe car pooling?

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forwarded excerpt:
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COQUI SPRAYING CLASS TO BE HELD IN HONOKAA

Contact: Andrea Dean: 889-5806/960-3727 andrea@hiedb.org

HILO, Hawaii- Coqui frogs are a noisy pest in our community and an environmental and economic menace. An effective way to eradicate and control coqui frogs is through the use of citric acid and hydrated lime, but it is important to know how to effectively and safely use these chemicals. The Coqui Frog Work Group in partnership with the County of Hawaii, State of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture, UH-CTAHR, USDA and Hawaii Island Economic Development Board will provide a training class and sprayer demonstration on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Honokaa Gym, Multi-Purpose Room. Whether you are an experienced coqui-fighter or just getting started, this class is for you! The agenda includes information on coqui life cycles, strategies for control, chemical safety, spraying techniques, large capacity sprayer training and community resources.

The class is free and attendees will receive a voucher for one free 50 pound bag of Hydrated Lime from the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board- Coqui Project. The class is free, but reservations are required.

For reservations please call, County of Hawaii- Coqui Eradication & Control Coordinator Howard Lontoc at 961-8066.