Spring 2007
Vol. 15 No. 1
"He who plants a tree plants a hope" - Lucy Larcom

In this issue...

Reflections from the President

Homes for Wood Ducks - Nature Area

Welcome Spring 2007

Volunteers Needed

Member Opportunities

Is a Toad a Frog?

2006 An exciting year!

How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard

2006 Conservationist

Welcome, New Board Members

Nature Deficit Disorder

Landscape for Learning

Three Generations of Volunteers

Upcoming Events...

April 1 4
Tree Planting
Contact Fred Pepper 692-0517 to help plant trees on GINLC proerties.

April 22
Earth Day
1:00PM - 3:00PM
Centennial Farm


Nature Area Open
Saturday 10:00AM - 2:00PM
Thursday 6PM - 8PM
(Weather Permitting)

Wish List
Computer Printer
Electronic Projector
Display Boards
Benches for Nature Area
Shade Canopy for Nature Area

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Is a Toad a Frog?
by Margarete Hasserodt

The answer is: Yes.
All toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads.

One can easily identify these little amphibians. They are known by their dry, warty skin and swollen bumps on their heads. These bumps are called paratoid glands and contain an irritating substance used to ward off predators, but it is not harmful to humans.

Toads are nocturnal. They sleep during the day and feed at night. Be happy if you find one in your garden, because they can eat from 50 to 100 insects at a time, which can add up to a few thousand per month. A toads diet consists of flies. cutworms, mosquitoes, slugs, and many more bugs.

Toads generally live on land, although the females return to the water in the spring and lay thousands of eggs in gelatin-like strings up to four feet long. Tadpoles hatch from the eggs and live in the water until they develop legs and move onto land. Toads can live 4 to 15 years and sometimes longer. In the tall they hibernate underground. Just be careful when you dig up your garden in the spring and don't get scared when a little, ugly, brown thing jumps from the shovel

To encourage toads to take up residence in your garden, provide them with a little shelter and water and avoid using chemical pesticides. Since toads drink through their skin, keep a shallow container, filled with water, close to the ground so that a toad can easily hop in and a broken clay pot nearby will do nicely as a home. Good luck!