I’ve only seen a toad once in the 4 years I’ve lived in my house but this past summer I saw a ton of red backed salamanders in my tiny backyard. Just about every time I turn over a pot, especially in the more shaded parts I’ll see a few underneath. I don’t recall seeing them when I first started. I think more plants and more moisture (from irrigation) has led to more bugs (unfortunately including a massive increase in mosquitoes) which has led to more salamanders. It’s amazing how a monoculture of mostly grass has been transformed to a vibrant yard supporting a wide variety of wildlife.
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I’ve heard something to the effect that frogs and toads are particularly sensitive to changes in the environment and can be an early indicator that ecological conditions are degrading. It kind of makes sense given their permeable skin.
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In early summer we get invasions of thousands of baby toads here. So many the cats just ignore them.
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as a child here in n. Maine we used to catch tons of them also. and lots of garter snakes. come to think of it, i havent seen one of those here either.
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I only really see frogs and toads near the water. Either I see them at our small pond or the river. Although during very rainy springs they venture beyond their homes.
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I used to love the toads singing every spring, but a few years ago, the people who owned the pond decided it was a hazard and took it out.
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I used to see them like everyday as a kid but now theyre kinda rare, probably also used to actively look for them though too
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No shortage here in my yard in Northern Ohio. The kids are catching them regularly when theyre out. The salamanders are usually out in full force here under the rocks in the landscaping around my house too.
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I’m in town in the dry area eastern WA
i would love to see toads again. i grew up in blue mountains PA and there were tons
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I would regularly see toads around the yard when I moved into Arlington, VA 26 years ago. I haven’t seen one in at least 10 years. I also used to have box turtles wander through the yard, with one hanging out for most of a summer about 8 years ago. But I haven’t see box turtles in several years now even when walking in the nearby woods.
I’m not sure it is the same thing effecting them, since the toads disappeared first. I’m sure disease and environmental changes have been an issue with toads specifically, but our exploding deer population means there is almost no understory in the wooded areas, so nowhere for either the toads or box turtles to hide. After years of trying to get it started, they are finally beginning to cull some of the deer, so hopefully at least the box turtles will have some cover soon.
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That’s a really interesting note about the effect of the deer foraging that I hadn’t considered. If only we had an apex predator in the area despite the sheer chaos/fear that would ignite!! I too used to see them all over in Maryland and haven’t since my childhood. We still see them regularly on the C&O canal.
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There seems to be at least as many if not more toads/frogs in my yard and pond area. I’ve stopped using a lawn service in my one area of my yard. So no chemical’s to maybe be a problem with these critters thriving. I have a pretty diverse variety of animals ( birds, fish, frogs/ toads, etc.)here. So I think the biodiversity on my land is working pretty well, so far.
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amphibians are the first animals to be killed off by water and air pollution in a ecosystem. so if there’s containments in air or water their numbers go down first before other animals, they’re a “sentinel” creature
like a canary in a coalmine. it’s hyper local too, a single pond or water source can be the problem
if i remember right it’s frog and newt that are first affected then toad and salamander. i might have that backwards
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Lots of toads, leopard, green and bull frogs, tree frogs, chorus frogs, garter snakes and skinks in central MN.
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Pretty much the same here in northern Michigan. Except for skinks are very localized in population pockets. Also, bullfrogs are around but not very common here. From what I’ve heard old McCormick actually introduce them into the McCormick Wilderness area years ago when it was his private estate, and the population has fanned out from there.
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Oh yes. I kept wondering why my frog, toad, rodent and lizard populations were going down.. Then my dog cornered a big fat rattlesnake in his yard last year. I had to kill it, it was living under the porch. I was NOT going to try to catch it to relocate.. No way. Now the frogs are coming back.
I have a nice teen gopher snake living in my garden now. I hope s/he doesn’t eat as many frogs and lizards but more rodents.
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Before a rattlesnale ate a lot of small animals in my yard I saw plenty of them. Also saw blue tailed skinks for the first time. Beautiful! In their 1st or 2nd year they have bright almost neon blue tails. The next year the blue disappears.
I had one big lizard who got used to me. I would see him half of the times I was weed whacking. I’d pick him up and move him to another section and he would just look at me and not run away. I hope the snake didn’t get him. I got attached to him.
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We are not looking forward to one particular Toad turning up in our yard. Invasive and poisonous Cane Toads are turning up along the South Georgia border with Florida now.
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I volunteer in Vermont to relocate rattlesnakes since they are locally endangered. It’s possible that there are people for you to call to help you in the future if another rattlesnake turns up. I can completely understand why you wouldn’t want one near your house!
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i would have never guessed there are rattlers in VT. then again we now have snapper turtles in n . Maine now. you must have copperheads also.
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