Frogs and Toads

What's the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad? Why Do I Love Them?

When you think about frogs and toads, you may first picture a mischievous little boy chasing a screaming little girl around with a helpless amphibian in his hands.

It may surprise you to learn that most of the frogs you see around your house are actually toads. It may also be news to you that frogs and toads are very important to our environment.

What You'll Find on This Lens

The Main Points on This Lens

Why I Made This Lens
What' the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad?
Do You Like Frogs and Toads?
Frogs and Toads are Important to Our Environment
Amphibians and the Environment in the News
Do You Have a Lens About Protecting the Environment?
We Can Learn a Lot from Frogs and Toads
Do You Have a Lens About Frogs or Toads?
Frogs for Collectors

Why I Made This Lens

A Tribute to the Little Toads on My Back Porch

Cute little frogs have been coming out at night and enjoying the bug buffet we seem to have on our back porch. They are so adorable. My husband, toddler, and I have enjoyed watching them catch mosquitoes and hop around each night. They made a little hole to live in under one of our garden stepping stones.

My husband said that we should buy them a frog house. I thought that sounded like a great idea, so I began shopping for one. I discovered that there are no frog houses, but only toad houses. So, I did a little research and discovered that those cute little frogs on our back porch are actually toads.

What' the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad?

How to Tell Whether it's a Frog or a Toad

Frogs and toads are both amphibians and have similar body structures, making it difficult for the average person to tell the difference between the two.

Frogs and toads both start out their lives in water, and both return to water to lay their eggs. But, frogs live in or near water their entire lives, have smooth skin, and have webbed feet. Toads live the majority of their life span on land, have dry skin that looks warty, and have toes.

The other major difference between frogs and toads is in their body structure. Frogs have strong, long back legs for jumping. Toads have shorter hind legs for walking. Frogs have narrow bodies with bulging eyes and toads have broader, flattened bodies.

You can see all of these subtle differences in the picture above.

Frog Photos on Flickr

Pictures of Frogs

Frog Day Afternoon, Pt. 3...Surfacing by ozoni11

Turtle Frog - Myobatrachus gouldi by Evan Pickett

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Toad Photos on Flickr

Pictures of Toads

Cowboy comes a courtin' by cowgirlrightup

I Toad the Line!! by LeapFrog! (On Summer Hours - LOL)

I'm Too Sexy For My Warts! by Greek_Sunshine

I've Got My Eyes On You!! by ~Diana Nevermind~AWOL~Back in 2 Weeks~

Portrait of a common toad by lasse christensen

Portrait of the artist as a young frog by David Maury aka Asteri Design

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Do You Like Frogs and Toads?

How Do You Feel About Frogs and Toads?

Are you a frog and toad lover? Maybe you believe we have a lot to learn about frogs and toads or you might just think they're cute. Maybe you collect frog or toad items.

If you don't like the little amphibians, maybe you think they're gross or icky. Maybe you believe the old wives' tale about getting warts from toads. Or, you could even have a phobia of the little critters.

What ever the case may be, tell me about it here...

Do you like frogs and/or toads?

Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Yes, and here's why...

pussreboots says:

Yes. They are such fascinating creatures.

Posted March 06, 2009

paperfacets says:

I love everything about those guys. We had a frog? Toad? water puddle near our house for about ten years till it was paved over because of a new housing tract.

Posted February 17, 2009

dc64 says:

Yep, they are my favorite animal.

Posted October 30, 2008

thrivingmom says:

I think they're all cute and as my toddler says, I love to watch them "hop, hop, hop." I think frog jewelry and collectibles are adorable. But, I have to admit...I get all girly when it comes to touching or holding an amphibian. The other day a little toad hopped in our house when I let the dog out and I screamed for my husband to come get it. I just could bring myself to pick it up.

Posted October 29, 2008

Jimmie says:

I like 'em all, especially those tiny ones! So adorable!

Posted October 29, 2008

No, and here's why...

Evelyn_Saenz says:

I love them both.

Posted March 14, 2009

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Frogs and Toads are Important to Our Environment

Frogs and Toads Can Save the World

Frogs and toads can save the world if only we'd listen to what they have to say. Amphibians breathe through their skin. This makes them super vulnerable to pollutants and other environmental hazards, such as pesticides and chytrid, a deadly fungus. This means frogs and toads serve as a predictor of environmental impacts on the future of the rest of the animal kingdom.

Scientist are now very alarmed at the rate of which the current frog and toad population around the world is dwindling. The legendary golden frog of Panama has almost completely disappeared from the wild. Closer to home, the Houston Toad is close to extinction.

How wide spread is this problem? If no changes are made, we are currently in danger of losing half of our world's amphibian population. To put this in better perspective and to get the public's attention, Jeff Corwin, an Emmy-winning host of multiple wild life educational shows on the Animal Planet Channel, says "If this is allowed to continue, it will represent the largest mass extinction since the dinosaurs."

Paul Crump, a reptile and amphibian keeper at the Houston Zoo is very alarmed by the dwindling Houston Toad population. He warns, "It's not just amphibians that are crashing. We're all crashing. Birds. Fish. Mammals. But the amphibians are the first to go. They serve as a smack in the face for us."

It's time that we all start listening to my the world's frog and toad population has to say to us.