Hawaii’s Hated Frogs

Tiny invaders raise a big ruckus

Puerto Rico’s beloved mascot is a miniature tree frog named for its distinctive call: ko-KEE. All night long, choirs of love-starved males serenade would-be mates, who respond with quiet guttural chuckles. “To me, it’s pleasant—just like birds singing,” says Bryan Brunner, a University of Puerto Rico plant breeder in Mayaguez.