Hi Deborah,
Our house was built on a vernal pond! :-) (Actually, I'm not kidding.) It's
a virtual bog in the winter in some spots outside. We've had a lot of frog
activity in the past, but I haven't noticed any toads. Oh well, it's
definitely worth a try -- especially with the slug situation here.
I'm sorry to hear about your wonderful neighbors moving. Hopefully, the new
people bought the house partly because they like the features -- pond and
all. And, hopefully, they'll be child-friendly.
Thanks for the fun and interesting message,
Deborah
--------------------
"What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wilderness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet."
--from "Inversnaid" by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-89)
---------------------
Deborah (the other one:-)
We have lots of toads around our house as well as salamanders and
snakes. However, they're there, not because we have any nice places that
we set up, but we have water and natural areas (read: weedy areas that
haven't been planted yet) The toads and salamanders need water to
reproduce, so you need a pond or quiet stream. Salamanders need vernal
pools - small wet swampy areas that only exist for a short period of
time. This insures there are no fish in them to eat the eggs and larvae
(or don't put any fish in your pond - the mosquitos love that too). Once
toads and salamanders go through the larval stage, they need land
habitat after they go through metamorphosis. The salamanders and toads
like to hang out under rocks. I find them when I move rocks around. We
have two types of salamanders. One red/brown type that looks like a
large worm with a bulge for a head and very tiny feet. We also have a
large, 4", brown with yellow spots on it. The toads love mulch. I
always find them under my leaf mulch if I rake it aside. I also find
them in the weedy areas of my yard. I move slowly with the weed whacker
so they have time to get out of the way.
So, don't bother with the toad house. instead look critically at your
yard and see how you can change it to make it more amphibian friendly.
My neighbors are moving on Friday and I'm pretty depressed about it.
Besides being absolutely wonderful people who adore my children they
have three ponds in their yard. My children were always welcome to go
over and check out the tadpoles and fish. (Only one kid ever feel in).
The new people may or may not keep the ponds running.
Deborah Turton
