Woodhouse Toad
The
Woodhouse’s toad’s (Bufo woodhousii) name comes from Samuel
Washington Woodhouse, a surgeon and naturalist who explored the
southwestern U.S mid-19th century. At about three to four inches
long the Woodhouse’s toad is the largest
toad found in Oklahoma and can be found statewide. Woodhouse’s
toad has a light tan to dark gray or brown back, often with
scattered paired spots. Warts occur in groups of two to four or
more within each dorsal spot. There is usually a white to yellow
stripe down the middle of the back and yellow in the thighs.
Woodhouse’s toad inhibits a wide variety of habitats, ranging
from grasslands to agricultural areas to residential areas. It
prefers deep sandy soils. This toad is primarily nocturnal; it
is often seen sitting under lights hunting for insects. It is
occasionally active during the day but most often burrows into
loose soil or hides vegetation. This toad is a welcomed guest
in lawns and gardens because it eats insects and slugs. A single
toad can eat thousands of insects per year.
The Woodhouse’s toad breeds in ponds, lakes, flooded areas and
other bodies of water lacking strong current. Breeding takes
place from March to August, usually after a heavy rainfall. The
call is a high-pitched, shrill “whrrr” “waaaah.” The eggs are
pigmented and laid in two long intertwined strands of up to
25,000 eggs and are attached to submerged vegetation or debris.
The eggs hatch into larvae called tadpoles. The tiny tadpoles
are weak swimmers making them easy prey for fish, turtles, birds
and other predators. At first, tadpoles lack legs. The hind legs
develop first with the front legs developing just before
tadpoles transform into small toads. Tadpoles eat organic
debris, algae suspended matter and plant tissue.
All toads have enlarged glands, called the pararoid gland, on
the side of the neck and behind each eye. These glands secrete a
sticky white liquid that gets smeared in the mouth of any
would-be predator. This substance inflames the mouth and throat.
Humans should take care to wash their hands after handling a
toad.
To help attract this toad and other amphibians to your property,
here are some tips to improve habitat. Place two or three inches
of mulch on the ground and place two small logs and a board over
the mulch. A pond as small as 3x3 foot will provide breeding
habitat for the toads. You can provide for their need year round
by creating a place where amphibians can hibernate in the
winter. Hibernation habitat is especially important in
urbanized areas where natural habitats have been destroyed
severely degraded. To learn how to improve habitat for this toad
and other wildlife, check out the “Landscaping for Wildlife: A
Guide to the Southern Plains” online at
Outdoor Store