Have you ever heard the saying “frogs live in water, toads live in dirt’? Do you know how to tell the difference between a frog and a toad? Professor Jessica Hua and graduate student Kyra Shaw of the UW-Madison Forest and Wildlife Ecology Department tackled that question for me. Here is what they said: ”If you’re a little confused about the difference between a frog and toad, you’re not the only one. Scientists actually don’t have a clear definition that separates frogs from toads. Toads are considered to be a type of frog, which are all amphibians. If you are looking for a rule of thumb, its this: all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads.” Toads and frogs are similarly shaped, but the skin of frogs is usually smooth and moist, while the skin of toads is normally bumpy and dry. Toads have short legs, useful for crawling or hopping. Frog legs are long and muscular, made for jumping, and are eaten as a delicacy in some areas. Frogs and toads both need water for laying eggs, as they begin life as tadpoles. Adult frogs tend to stay near water, like ponds or marshes, while toads generally live in the woods or in yards and gardens. In threatening situations, frogs tend to leap into the nearest body of water, while toads tend to remain still, puffing up to look bigger. Toads also secrete toxins, so an animal that bites a toad could get very sick. If you have a dog, make sure that you don’t allow them to play with or eat toads. Professor Hua is working on a new field guide for identifying amphibians. Watch this space for an announcement regarding the publication, and get a copy to help you identify some of the 12 species of frogs native to Wisconsin.
