American Toad

 

American Toad in Yard

Book Review: Reptiles and Amphibians of Michigan

Book Review: Reptiles and Amphibians of Michigan

11/6/15

This is a field guide to the many reptiles and amphibians of Michigan.  The pictures are really beautiful, and the version I have also comes with a CD of frog and toad songs that you can use to aid your identification.  There are different chapters for turtles, snakes, lizards, salamanders, and frogs and toads.  There are also interesting introductions to all of these animals, showing how they are an integral part of the ecosystem.  All in all, I found this to be quite an informative book, one that would even be useful to people outside of Michigan, since a lot of these animals appear in other states as well.  I learned about quite a few animals I had never heard of before.  At first it might appear that Michigan is not the best environment for these animals, since they are cold-blooded, but they all hibernate for the winter (which is detailed in the book), so it works out fine.  Some of these animals have unusual names, such as the   Queen Snake and the Eastern Hognose Snake.  Others have an unusual appearance, such as the Blue-spotted Salamander and the Northern Leopard Frog.  Also of interest is that the Painted Turtle is the Michigan State Reptile.

 

Reference:  Reptiles and Amphibians of Michigan Field Guide, Stan Tekiela, Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge MA: 2004

Toad in the Grass

American Toad in Yard

This is a photo of an American Toad hiding in the grass in the yard.  It is a very large toad, and darker in color.  Their color can range from brown to dark green, depending on the temperature.  They can live for several years.  There is another toad that is less common, called the Fowler’s Toad.

Toad in Flower Pot

toad in flower pot

This is a photo of a toad that decided to make it’s home in a small flower pot.  It is in the flower pot at left, and it came back to the same flower pot for many days.