Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Year of the Toad

This little fellow was on our front doorstep a few years ago.  We see a toad or two in the yard every summer.  This year it has been different though.  We see toads everywhere in the yard, front and back, in the field behind the house.  One can scarcely mow, pull weeds, or even walk across the yard without stirring up a toad or two.  Had to get out of the car and chase one out of the garage before we could put the vehicle to bed last night.

I am wondering of course if this new "plague" could be the offspring of Toad a few generations down the line.  Whereas Toad pictured here was a full three and a half or four inches long, this new crop seems to average about three and a half to four centimeters in length.  Fortunately to date we have neither stepped on one nor churned one up in a mower or weed whacker.

Perhaps the icon that resides by the garage door on a permanent basis is the welcoming factor in this recent invasion.

Given the prodigious number of insects the little rascals consume, we are happy to see them about.










Word of the day: prodigious

8 comments:

Vee said...

It's been years since I've seen a toad, but I remember Mom used to warn us that picking them up would cause warts on our hands. Maybe an old wives tale - maybe Mom didn't want those ugly little creatures in her house.

Grace said...

So of course I had to look up the differences between toads and frogs (HERE. Which led me to take a quick look at Bufo frogs (because they are kinda ugly and huge) which are really toads and (who knew) poisonous. I only mention them because I find frogs/toads/lizards attractive. I think they are cute and frogs have such soft, velvety tummies.

Secondary Roads said...

An earth-bound fly catcher. Great!

vanilla said...

Vee, perhaps both. Mom probably believed what she said and I am certain she did not want them in the house. I remember going up the hill across from BTS and capturing horned toads (lizards, really) and taking them home to play with and I suspect Mom did not care for that, either.

Grace, I think they are very interesting creatures. See comment to Vee.

Chuck, it is beyond fascinating to observe the speed with which a fly is dispatched. Now you see it, now you don't.

Lin said...

We had a toad...ONCE...years ago. And we kept looking at him under the hostas, so he got mad and left our yard. :(

I know that a lot of people are freaked out by frogs and toads. I'm glad you look out for them and are careful around them. Nothing worse than a Flat Stanley.

vanilla said...

Lin, guess your toad resented the invasion of his privacy. We do try to avoid hosting a flat Stanley or a pureed amphibian.

Ilene said...

A bullfrog lived in the pond behind my house in Elburn. Oh the noises it made during mating season!

vanilla said...

Ilene when we had the lake place JoAnn on occasion threatened to leave if the frogs and the crickets didn't cool it. :-)