Long past, toads and frogs had been a part of the natural world, except for the past twenty-five years or so, when they have become mostly backyard decorations in our gardens.
This summer, however, I had two encounters with toads, American and Fowler’s toads, a mixture of shades of brown and olive green that blend perfectly with the colors of the earth. The two toads, which I saw at the Little Miami River Trail in Loveland, Ohio, measured from two to three inches in head-body length and had warty skins as all “true” toads should. Even though they could move fast, they also stood still for a long time, probably waiting for an insect to pass by or simply playing dead. I read that toads have no teeth, but their tongues are long and quick. Their diet includes insects, spiders, snails, slugs, centipedes, and worms.
Toads and frogs are classified as anurans, amphibians without a tail. Anurans reproduce and gow in streams and ponds, but later transform into land animals. Tadpoles breathe underwater, and when I was a little girl, I used to think that they were small fish. Later I learned to tell the difference because tadpoles have bigger heads and thinner bodies.
According to the article And So I Shed My Skin, and Walked Away New: Frogs, Toads and the Secret of Transformation:
The life cycle of frogs and toads involves at least one major transformation, from tadpole to adult. Many also shed their skin regularly as they grow, and some species eat the shed skin. These spectacular transformations may explain why many cultures see frogs and toads as symbolic of re-creation.1
Growing up in the eastern tropical forest of Izabal, Guatemala, I lived among lizards and frogs. Tiny frogs and lizards would sometimes make their way inside our house despite the window metal screens, and stayed there unless attacked by the playful cats. Our small dachshund dog had a gentle soul; I never saw him chasing the frogs.
My kids grew up in Greater Cincinnati and haven’t had close contact with anurans, they know about them because they’ve studied their lifecycle. Tadpoles feed on algae, but our ponds are regularly treated with dyes for algae control. This might be the reason why I’ve only seen tadpoles in protected areas.
The fact sheet for the Fowler’s toad from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute states that:
Threats to regional populations include habitat loss and the pollution of waterways, particularly due to agricultural chemicals.2
As my way to preserve the anuran world, and the natural world, I have been reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic, paper, aluminum, and glass for more than twenty years, and my yard is pesticide free. But this is not enough. My encounter with the toads has urged me to pick up plastic objects such as bottles and bags (we have two large ponds in our neighborhood) to preserve aquatic habitats for animal species. I remember visiting the Little Miami River with my son during a school excursion a few years back, when we took the time to pick up the trash among other educational activities.
If you haven’t seen any toads in your area, remember that they favor clean ponds and streams, free of chemicals. And for devout animal lovers, I highly recommend the book Creatures of Change: An Album of Ohio Animals by Carolyn V. Platt. 3
Exploratorium: Frogs: Frog Myths Across Cultures: page 2
Fowler's toad | Smithsonian's National Zoo (si.edu)
Plat, Carolyn V. & Gary Meszaros. Creatures of Change: An Album of Ohio Animals. Kent State University Press. Kent, Ohio, 1998.