Use of PVC pipe refugia as a sampling technique for hylid treefrogs

We used retreats made from white polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes to capture hylids and determined how pipe design and placement influenced the frequenc y with which hylids used pipes as retreats. Pipes were hung vertically in t rees on three sites in northcentral Florida. Pipes were checked twice weekl y for 10 mo during which 788 individuals of four species (Hyla squirella, H . cinerea, H. femoralis and H. gratiosa) were captured, with 2658 recapture s. Retreats on hardwoods were used significantly more than retreats on pine s, and retreats hung at 2 m and 4 m aboveground were used significantly mor e than retreats at 0 m. Long and T shaped retreats (both 60 cm long) were u sed significantly more than short (30 cm) retreats. Retreats capped on the bottom with water inside and 3.81 cm in diameter were used more frequently than retreats of the same diameter that were either capped on the top or no t capped and retreats 1.75 cm in diameter with no cap.