Ode To My Toads

Well, it happened. This past week my beloved Toads went into hibernation for the winter. We’d had a few cold, cold mornings, and with the shorter days, it signals the time when the Toads hibernate.

American toads require a semi-permanent freshwater pond or pool with shallow water in which to breed, to gather their water suppliers in times of drought or as a routine, and for their early development. They also require dense patches of vegetation, for cover and hunting grounds. Given these two things and a supply of insects for food, American toads can live almost everywhere, ranging from forests to flat grassland.

Adult toads are mostly nocturnal, although juveniles are often abroad by day. When it rains, these toads will become active and can be observed eating robustly, worms and insects leaving their burrows and walking in front of an opportunist toad. These toads are ‘creatures of habit’ once they have a certain area they prefer to live within an acre of wooded forest with water in proximity for soaking, a home with cool ledges and window wells; they commonly seek cover in burrows, under boardwalks, flat stones, boards, logs, wood piles, or other cover. Our stone walls are perfect, and our creek as well.

When cold weather comes, these toads dig backwards and bury themselves in the dirt of their summer homes, or they may choose another site in which to hibernate. Their diet includes crickets, meal worms, earthworms, ants, spiders, slugs, centipedes, moths, and other small invertebrates. Some of these toads have been known to live over 30 years.

One of my Toads, I swear, has been living here for at least 5 years. And this year when I would talk to him, he would move his body toward my voice. He never tried to leap away in fear.

But now all three Toads have disappeared. Gone to bed for the winter. I will really miss them! Until next summer!