Tadpoles!

Spring Lake's future toadlets

Last weekend's beautiful weather brought residents to the water's edge, where discoveries awaited--like the tadpoles and bass spawning beds along the Gormans' beautiful shoreline. I didn't snap a photo until days later, but the tadpoles were still there, though fewer in number. Their original numbers were described as "swarms." I'm not certain, but I'll guess that they are toad tadpoles because of their size and color (black) and similar images I found online. These future toads hold the promise of many summers of pest control around the lake. Did I mention that one American Toad can consume 10,000 insects in a summer? I think I did. You get the idea. I'm not sure how they know this, but several reputable sources report it as fact. And after watching this YouTube video of a toad eating those pesky Japanese beetles, I'm inclined to believe it.

a toadlet, smaller than Abe

As tadpoles, toads find safety in numbers and shallow water, and their skin produces a toxic chemical to ward off predators. They'll grow for several weeks, becoming toadlets (about 1/2" long) through metamorphosis in about 40 days. Then they'll head for land--gardens and woods, where they'll spend most of their life (up to 15 years). So put out those toad houses and welcome them into your yard this summer.