Frogs & Toads and an idea...

 

This summer we spent lots of time at the pond and saw frogs in all stages of life. As the summer passed we also came across a fair number of toads.

The question arose... How do you tell a frog from a toad?

Is it a frog...

Or a toad?

Here is what we learned in our research... which included the reading of Frogs by Gail Gibbons which Annie shared in a great review here.

Frogs                                              Toads

~ Narrow body                                 ~ Rounder plump body

~ Large ear membranes                    ~ Small ear membranes

~ Moist, smooth soft skin                  ~ Dry, thick bumpy skin

~ Ridges down the back                    ~ Ridges on the head

~ Take long leaps                             ~ Take short leaps, crawls

~ Long hind legs                               ~ Short legs

~ Lay eggs in clumps in the water      ~ Lay eggs in long strings in the water

~ Live in or near water                      ~ Live on land (water to lay eggs) 

As we wander around the pond and trails this fall we are still spotting frogs and toads before they hunker down in the mud for their long winter sleep. Have you been seeing any hopping friends in your neck of the woods this fall?

 

Now for the idea:

The ladies of The Magnifying Glass have been kicking around the idea of a Nature Exchange among readers. With the abundance of fall and the cleaning up of summer nature goodness we thought it would be a wonderful time to share what we have been collecting. We would love to get a pulse on interest before we launch the exchange. Are any of you interested in participating in a nature exchange?

More details coming next week...

~Dawn