Red-eyed Tree Frog

One of the many highlights of our Costa Rican tour were the small, artificial ponds at the Villa Lapas eco-lodge. We visited both during the day and at night. I hoped we would see Red-eyed Tree Frogs. They are often used as icons for rainforest preservation. They are found from Mexico to Colombia. You can find them on both slopes of Costa Rica. Frogs from the Pacific Coast have yellowish sides. Those from the Caribbean side, like the one in the second photo, sport blue sides.

These frogs flash their red eyes to startle predators. The frogs are not poisonous, They depend on their green backs for camouflage. Mating Red-eyed Tree Frogs call during the rainy season and also shake branches to attract their mates.

During amplexus, like in the third photo, the female carries the male on her back, sometimes for several hours, as she lays her eggs. The female glues her eggs on pond leaves (Wikipedia). Finally, the last photo is of frog eggs laid in such a manner. No guarantee, however, that these belong to Red-eyed Tree Frogs.