(Dryophytes spp.)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Dryophytes is a newly resurrected genus of treefrogs that has been given the common name Holarctic Treefrogs. There are twenty species of Dryophytes worldwide. Seventeen species occur only in North America. Three species occur in eastern Asia. Only two species occur in Minnesota.
Holarctic Treefrogs are found in forests and wetlands. As the common name suggests, they mostly live in trees, but can often found be seen on vegetation near the ground.
Holarctic Treefrogs are small, green or gray frogs.
Due to the great difficulty in distinguishing between the two treefrog species in Minnesota, only those photos verified by an expert will be identified to the species level. All other treefrog photos and sightings will be identified only to the genus level.
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 12/28/2025).
USGS National Amphibian Atlas. https://armi.usgs.gov/atlas/. Accessed 12/28/2025).
Class
Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order
Anura (Frogs)
Family
Hylidae (Treefrogs and Allies)
Genus
The genus Dryophytes was originally described in 1843. In 1882 all Dryophytes species were transferred to the genus Hyla, which then contained all treefrog species in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2014 North American species were placed in the new subgenus Dryophytes. In 2016 the subgenus was raised to genus level, resurrecting the original genus. Today, the genus Hyla now contains only Old World species. All North American treefrog species, and three species in temperate eastern Asia, now belong to the genus Dryophytes. The common name for the genus is Holarctic Treefrogs.
The last move was not universally accepted. iNaturalist, AmphiaWeb, MNHerps, Discover Life, and National Amphibian Atlas (USGS) all continue to use the genus Hyla. Amphibian Species of the World, Catalogue of Life, GBIF, ITIS, NatureServe, and NCBI use Dryophytes.
American green Tree Frog (Dryophytes cinerea)
Arboreal Tree Frog (Dryophytes arboricola)
Barking Tree Frog (Dryophytes gratiosa)
Bird-voiced Tree Frog (Dryophytes avivoca)
Bocourt’s Tree Frog (Dryophytes bocourti)
Canyon Tree Frog (Dryophytes arenicolor)
Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes chrysoscelis) 
Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor)
Japanese Tree Frog (Dryophytes japonica)
Mountain Tree Frog (Dryophytes eximia)
Pine Barrens Tree Frog (Dryophytes andersonii)
Pine woods Tree Frog (Dryophytes femoralis)
Ridged Tree Frog (Dryophytes plicata)
Southern Highland Tree Frog (Dryophytes euphorbiacea)
Spotless Tree toad (Dryophytes immaculata)
Squirrel Tree Frog (Dryophytes squirella)
Suweon Tree Frog (Dryophytes suweonensis)
Walker’s Tree Frog (Dryophytes walkeri)
Wright’s Mountain Tree Frog (Dryophytes wrightorum)
Yellow-bellied Tree Frog (Dryophytes flaviventris)
Epedaphus
Ameroasian Tree Frogs
Ameroasian Treefrogs
Holarctic Treefrogs
Treefrogs
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Noticed two of these on the leaves of some milkweed I have in my garden. Small and green against the green of the milkweed.
…the size of a dime, on the grass.
found in our kitchen
found this little guy jumping across our kitchen counter.
We get lots of frogs at our house! Our daughters love catching them. (Yes, that's a real frog clinging to her earring!)
I found this tree frog today resting on some dill in front of my house just west of Houston, MN.
Hangs out in Magnolia tree and on lighted deck
These little frogs were in Ramsey, MN... Taken yesterday
These were fun to find! My little friends were VERY tiny! Taken in the Trial Gardens at Lake Harriet, Minneapolis MN
Approximately an inch long. Both are same frog.
Gray tree frog perched in a bald cypress at marsh's edge, Freeborn County, Minn., June 2017
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7/13/2025
Location: Maplewood, MN
Noticed two of these on the leaves of some milkweed I have in my garden. Small and green against the green of the milkweed.
August 2024
Location: Cass County
6/28/2024
Location: Albany, NY
6/28/2024
Location: Farwell, MN
found this little guy jumping across our kitchen counter.
8/31/2023
Location: Carver, MN
Surprisingly found on my Deck hanging. Please identify
Summer 2022
Location: Lake Shore
This frog lived under my flower pot for 6 yrs. Each morning I'd check to see if it was there. I'd also check if a severe storm was headed our way. This picture was his last summer.
8/10/2022
Location: Albany, MN
Found in Albany MN
8/17/2021
Location: Caledonia Minnesota
Found on a wall in my living room. Covered with cat hair.
6/12/2021
Location: Houston Co.
I had an opportunity to capture a grey tree frog on our window the other evening. I thought it was a great way for people to see the bottom side of one without disturbing them!
8/10/2021
Location: Le Sueur, MN
Climbing up our window
9/27/2020
Location: Albany MN
We get lots of frogs at our house! Our daughters love catching them. (Yes, that's a real frog clinging to her earring!)
8/26/2020
Location: NW Rochester in my backyard clinging to our table.
Lighter green in color than the photo.
8/13/2020
Location: Sherburne County
8/11/2020
Location: NW Rochester, MN
We found him in our front yard under a hosta plant.
7/30/2020
Location: just west of Houston, MN.
I found this tree frog today resting on some dill in front of my house just west of Houston, MN.
7/29/2020
Location: White Bear Lake, MN
Discovered hanging of front of gas grill after lighting, rescued him of course!
July 2020
Location: Waseca, Minnesota
Hangs out in Magnolia tree and on lighted deck
6/2/2020
Location: Grand Marais, Mn.
Been hanging around for a while now.
10/16/2019
Location: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
9/17/2019
Location: Maplewood
8/29/2019
Location: Ramsey, MN
8/14/2019
Location: Trial Gardens at Lake Harriet, Minneapolis MN
These were fun to find! My little friends were VERY tiny! Taken in the Trial Gardens at Lake Harriet, Minneapolis MN
8/12/2019
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota
7/10/2019
Location: New Ulm, MN
eastern Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor) Australian tree frog
2 solid green, 2", climbing up house window
8/23/2018
Location: Maplewood
8/16/2018
Location: Mound View, MN
Have at least 2 living in flower pots on our deck
7/28/2018
Location: Martin County
Approximately an inch long. Both are same frog.
7/16/2018
Location: Northern Wash Co MN
I have not seen any tree frogs this year and few last year. Almost no bats last year and this year. I live in a tree forest.
7/2/2018
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota
… the size of a dime, on the grass.
9/4/2017
Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park
8/25/2017
Location: Crow Wing County, Deerwood
Gray Tree Frog on Sedum
7/2/2017
Location: LeSueur County, by Lake Washington
Found around 8am on our patio table
June, 2017
Location: Freeborn County, MN
Gray tree frog perched in a bald cypress at marsh's edge, Freeborn County, Minn., June 2017
4/23/2016
Location: Maplewood, MN
Looked like a rock at first glance. I'm declaring it a grey tree frog based on a response I got.
6/22/2013
Location: Pennington Co., MN
