What's Crawling Today

I found this lovely character under a pot when I took the opportunity to go out on a sunny day ... heaven only knows where he/she came from in the orchards so plopped it in the burble barrel ...

 

Is it a European Green Toad??

[ 27. October 2006, 09:52 PM: Message edited by: Honey Bee ]

 

Wonderful - oh so warty but very cute :D

 

I haven't got a clue, Honey Bee! I thought one of you clever folk would identify him/her! I think the colours are so lovely, never seen such before and he/she was EVER SO SOFT to touch! :D

 

Just seen this pic LoL, it is definitely a young green toad but with some red markings on it making it an extremely attractive one.

 

I decided to check the toad out in my R&A bible as something didn't seem right. It is a green toad but their range stops at France and is supposed to be absent from Spain and Portugal!There are red spotted varieties known and yours looks like one.I hope the hands holding it were washed afterwards it as they are toxic and being "cold-blooded" they can suffer from skin burns from our "hot" skin.

 

Hi, Strongy. What's an R&A bible, please, is this Reptiles and Amphibians? If this is a rare character, who should I tell I have them with me?????

It is my hand* and I picked it up for t'other half to photo and then put it in the burble barrel.

* I'm not sure if my hand is "too hot to handle"! :D :D

 

Nice one LoL and though your tiny hand may not be frozen I'm sure it's not too hot to handle :D

 

:D :D :D

 

Here's a nice praying mantis sunning on the deck yesterday ....

 

LoL, haven't looked at this thread since my last post, yes it is my Collins Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe and has only recently been updated after 25 years, and I'm not sure now that it is a green toad. On closer inspection and the fact that greens aren't in your area I think it is a Natterjack as the dorsal stripe is there, not very prominent but the Green toad doesn't have one.

 

Still, Strongy, never seen such here before but a beaut of a character! I do actually have small hands and it was a "biggie" if you know what I mean! :D Thanks for taking the time to look it up.

 

Loving the pics LoL

 

Mr toad will be valuable eating all the slugs and bugs so hopefully where there is one there will be others. He/she really is a beautiful specimen as they are usually a dull brown.
Like the mantis, if only we had them here!

 

... and even slithering! :eek: I discovered this chappie sneaking into the house through the kitchen this afternoon ...



... and for those of you who want to see that tongue a little bit better ...



Although he was only about 20cm long, a mere babe, and very skinny, I wasn't getting up too close and personal, if you know what I mean! :eek:

T'other half caught it in a plastic bottle and released it into the orchard.