The House of Hyla ... we chose this name because shortly after we came to live here we noticed a beautiful example of a hyla meridionalis (tree frog) on the terrace. We saw this charming creature many times (once we even saw it sitting on the window sill of the bathroom!), but the following year there was no trace of it.

During the mating season (spring-summer) you can still hear the song of Hyla from the house: a loud repeated croak in the warm evenings and during the quiet nights. There are many tree frogs in the surrounding countryside: the cisterns used by the country people from the 16^th century onwards to collect rainwater, and also the local water courses, are its ideal habitat.

This species of tree frog can be found only in some areas of Europe, and as far as Italy is concerned, only in Liguria. It is characterized by its bright green colour, by the absence of a dark stripe on its side (the stripe is very small and barely goes beyond its ear) and by the small adhesive pads on the tips of its toes, which make it look like a funny character out of a cartoon!

The species risks extinction, so if you should see Hyla again, don’t disturb it !