Frogs croak - toads trill...

The chorus frogs have been singing for almost a month now. And Tuesday night of this week, you could hear the toads trilling. Yet another sign of spring.

American toads are small - between 2" and 4" long. They eat grasshoppers, insects, worms, spiders, and slugs. Warm, rainy nights are when they are most active. This time of year they're doing a lot of calling for mates. A female will lay 2000- 20000 eggs underwater. In 4-10 days tadpoles will hatch and then change into full-fledged toads in about two months. The warmer it is, the faster the transformation will take place.

After a couple of warm days, today is cool and snow flurries are possible tonight, so I don't expect to hear the toads. Maybe next week...

My nieces holding toads found in the yard in the Summer of 2008 - no, they won't get warts!