The Common toad is a widespread amphibian commonly found throughout Britain. Their range of habitats is far more extensive than the Common frog (with which they can sometimes be confused) as they can tolerate drier conditions.
Overview
Toads emerge from their winter hibernation in late February, their loyalty to favoured ponds often leaves them with a long and treacherous journey before the rituals of attracting a mate and spawning begin. The roving adults congregate at breeding pools around the beginning of April where mating occurs, followed by the female laying a long string of eggs which hatch after several weeks. The newly born tadpoles develop over the next 3-4 months before emerging, on a damp night, often in vast droves. Juvenile Common Toads are known as a Toadlets and they resemble miniature versions of the adult. Survival rates are higher in toads than frogs because predators are deterred by the toxins produced in the wart like glands of the skin. Only grass snakes and hedgehogs appear averse to the bitter taste.
Toads prefer to feed at night, being particularly active in wet conditions when prey is plentiful. They predate on any living creature that they can swallow including insects, slugs, spiders, snails and even small rodents. Toadlets feed on smaller prey including ants, flies and the larvae of a variety of insects. If a Common Toad comes across a plentiful supply of food they may remain in the same area for long periods, otherwise they are constantly on the move in order to satisfy their hunger.
In Britain the density of roads and railways means that Toads often need to cross traffic routes in search of food and to reach breeding ponds, these are dangerous periods and many toads become victims of heavy traffic in large numbers particularly on roads close to breeding ponds. In many villages and towns groups of sympathetic and willing residents gather on spring evenings to help the toad cross the road in safety.
Identification
Common Toads are mostly brown or olive green, with noticeably warty skin. The males will grow to about 8cm with the females slightly larger, reaching up to 13cm long. The various lumps and bumps of a toad are not warts but glands, many of which secrete a toxin to deter predators. Two pronounced lumps are noticeable on the top of the head behind the eyes and are called the parotoid glands.
Toads move about with a pronounced walking motion in contrast to a frog’s hop. The spawn of the Common toad appears slightly later in the year than the spawn of frogs, usually around the beginning of April and it is laid like string rather than in a big clump.
As tadpoles they can be distinguished from frogs by their rounder head and comparatively short tails. They will often be seen swimming in a shoal and like the adult toads they produce a toxin which fish soon learn has an unpleasant bitter taste.
In the Garden
Toads are quite easy to please and they feast on a lot of garden pests so they are of great value to gardeners. As with other amphibians, providing plenty of shelter in the garden including areas of long grass, dead log piles, rockeries and a small pond will provide ample habitats for them and their prey. Leaving areas and objects undisturbed throughout the winter will ensure that they are able to hibernate in peace and emerge in the spring healthy and ready for the long trek to breeding areas.
The use of chemicals in the garden such as slug pellets can be very damaging to the health of all wild species particularly Amphibians as they predate heavily on slugs and snails. Chemicals build up through the food chain so the more poisoned slugs eaten the more they will suffer from the effects of the pellets.
Did you know?
Toads are often associated with the dark and mysterious customs of witch craft and bubbling cauldrons, maybe because of their warty appearance, this has lead to a common misconception that touching toads gives you warts. The warts are actually glands which leave hungry predators with a bitter and repelling taste in their mouths.