Coqui Frogs

Last year the coqui frogs invaded our neighbors back yard. Every night since then I hear them. I have seen two outside our back door, heard some in our garage, and one somehow got into our shower. Crazy! So my question is, “What can we do to control (help stop)the spreading of coqui frogs?”




Here is a link about empowering homeowners to control coqui frogs.




Homeowners want to know how to deal with the frogs in their backyards. They may not be able
to stop the coqui in our valleys but they may be able to stop them where it counts for them: on
their properties. The most important elements in fighting the frogs are environment
modification and good sanitation.

Eliminate Frog Habitat
Get rid of places where frogs can hide, and allow air and sunshine to dry up moisture.
Coincidentally, the same kind of environment favorable to the frog seems to also harbor African
snails and slugs.

Plant selection and sanitation
Coqui frogs seem to favor certain plants, such as heliconia, bananas, false stag horn fern (uluhe),
wild orchid, ginger, wedelia (small yellow daisy-like flower), and tall grasses. Old banana and
heliconia leaves should be removed because they create shade and collect moisture. Frogs prefer
to perch where the leaves connect to the trunk.
Trees do not pose as great a problem as the accompanying underbrush does. Start with getting rid of ALL undergrowth and ground cover. Merely cutting them back will still leave sufficient
material to provide shade, moisture and lots of hiding spaces. It may take several consecutive
cuttings or applications of a weed killer to remove this undergrowth completely.
Trees, such as mangos, avocado and lichee, should be pruned to allow sunshine and air to
eliminate moist hiding places. Trim smaller trees or large shrubs to remove the lower branches.
Remove the young shoots growing from areca palms to eliminate another favored hiding spot.
Pruning will also facilitate spraying at ground level.
Making the coqui frog unwelcome by constant interruption can also work. A neighbor has a
mango tree that always has a thick layer of leaves under it. By throwing out a heavy layer of
feed, the birds and chickens will totally turn the area upside down and I’ve seen the chickens
catch and eat the coqui. But first the chickens must be introduced to this food source. You may
have to catch a couple of coqui (make sure you kill them) and add them to your chicken’s feed.
Once familiar with the coqui, the chickens will eat it should they scratch one up. Better yet, rake
and remove fallen leaves.

Inspect your potted plants
Pots and trays should be individually examined. A frog can easily get into the middle of a stack
and lay its eggs. This is especially important if the pots or trays are on the ground, but empty
pots on a bench are not exempt. They, too, should have at least an initial inspection. Cement
blocks also provide cool, moist refuge sites. Inspect any building material stacked in the same
place for an extended period.
Instead of placing potted plants directly on the ground, lay down a weed barrier cloth. It will
make it easier to clean up the debris from your plants by hosing or sweeping. Occasionally, pick
up each pot and give a quick spray of citric acid under it. This is especially effective for the very
tiny greenhouse frog.
Using something like insecticidal soap on a regular basis can help to chase a frog from your
potted plants. It doesn’t kill the frog but seems to irritate it enough to cause it to jump out into
the open for capture or spraying.

Yards, lawns and green waste
Areas containing rocks that are an inch or bigger should be filled in with fine cinder to eliminate
areas the frogs can burrow into.
Keep your lawn trimmed on a regular basis. Better yet if your mower is also a mulcher. It is
legal to have a firebreak between your property and a vacant lot. If the lot is frog-infested, and if you can afford it, hire a bulldozer to cut a line, otherwise consider hand clearing. It will give you
a buffer area between your property and the frogs. You will have to maintain the firebreak area
and not allow the thick, high growth back.
After trimming vegetation, you may find you have a large pile of green waste to deal with. If left
untreated, it will attract African snails, slugs and possibly coqui. If you are unable to take it to a
transfer station, put it in a pile and apply hydrated lime to the top of the pile. You may have to
reapply from time to time when all traces of the lime is gone, especially after rain or when you
turn it over and see slugs or snails. This will facilitate breakdown of the green waste into very
good compost. Coqui-infested green waste should never be dumped on vacant lots or roadways,
and should be mulched before transporting to the rubbish dump.




Here is a link to the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources with more information about the coqui frogs.



Some methods that the CTAHR suggest for the control of coqui frogs are

Hand capture
Citric Acid
Spray hydrate lime as foliar or soil drench
How water shower
Set PVC pipe or bamboo traps
Eliminate frog friendly habitats

*These suggestions are given in further detail in the college of tropical ag. link.*