Tiny Eastern American Toads
It’s starting to rain baby toads again! There are literally hundreds of these adorable little toads hopping around underfoot. When we first start to see them about this time of year, they are about the size of a green pea and are too tiny and undefined to show up well in a photograph. The first ones we ever saw suddenly appeared one spring about four years ago, and we thought they were some kind of a bug until we picked one up and really examined it. 
What a surprise to discover that they were perfectly formed miniature baby toads! Although they grow as summer progresses and start to lose their fragile “see-through” look, by the time of the first frost they are still only the size of a kidney bean. They manage to make it through our harsh winters by burrowing into the ground. 
We love having toads in the garden. They are an unexpected interesting presence while we’re working outside, and the adult toads are such a help with insects. The tiny ones do make mowing the lawn somewhat of an adventure, though. My husband mows by walking backwards and pulling the mower so the toads can hop out of the way. As you can see from these pictures, these tiny toads are different colors, ranging from red and brown to yellow and orange, just like the adult toads. My favorites are the plain brown ones, which also seem to be the most plentiful.
Written by Shirley | Filed Under Enjoying Nature
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Comments
Comment by Eric Meyers:
Yes! I was wondering about them. I saw them recently all over the ground at a campground in southwestern Michigan. The only other time I remember seeing toads or frogs that small was a few years ago in a meadow in Oregon. Those were more brightly colored and seemed more like frogs but they were about the same size – less than a 1/2 inch in length. I have no idea what species either are. They are certainly cute!
Comment by Shirley:
It’s funny, because I don’t remember seeing the tiny toads around here either until about four years ago. We do see a few of the tiny frogs, but we don’t see nearly as many of them as we see of the tiny toads. This year most of the little toads seem to be shades of brown, but last summer we had more different colors, including black, red, and cream, and there didn’t seem to be as many of the brown ones.
Comment by Isabelle:
Are these toads as cute for real as they look in the pictures? Gee — you have so much interesting animals and I love your pictures.
Comment by Shirley:
Yes Isabelle, they are adorable. They are so perfectly formed and yet so incredibly tiny. We do have an abundance of wildlife here… some like the coyotes and bear I wish would keep more of a distance… but I do like having the toads around. :o) And thanks!
Comment by Louise:
It is mid July in South Central Ontario, and yesterday we too found literally hundreds of tiny toads hopping around the foundation of our house. We caught over 100, in anout 15 minutes, and moved them, in batches, to the various gardens around our property. I have never see this before and have lived here for 20 years. I looked out this morning and there are more of them back – I counted at least another hundred in one small 20 foot length of the foundation. We have large – up to softball size toads – around the gardens but have never see babies, in any quantity, before.
Comment by JoAnn:
Several years ago when I went into the local grocery store, I saw hundreds of tiny toads hopping into, out of and through the vestibule. I think they were traveling from the canal a few hundred yards to the side of the store, but where they were headed is anybody’s guess. Sadly, many were stepped on or otherwise smooshed. I wanted to rescue them, and took some home to my garden. There must have been some instinctual thing going on with them. It’s a phenomenon I’d like to know more about.
Comment by Ronda G.:
I grew up with these guys all over my yard. We have moved and though we are still in the same general area they are not in our yard. We have a creek right by our home. Do you know how I could start a toad colony here or how I might be able to buy eggs or tadpoles? Yes I am serious (big smile).
Comment by Shirley:
I’m wondering if your creek has too much water movement. I have noticed that the toads seem to stay around water that is mostly still. I would think that if they liked the conditions, they would already be living around your creek, and I think even if you brought toads in, they would not stay. You might try creating an area of still water on the side of your creek somewhere by building a small dam or diverting the water stream away from the main creek. I think you might discover that toads would then find you.
Comment by Jill:
Hi,
We are finding hundreds of baby toads on our property this year, have never seen so many, and we have been here for many years.
The sad thing is there are also many in the pool skimmer.
Anyone have an idea why they are so abundant this year.
Comment by Ronda G.:
Thanks Shirley, I will try that! :)
Comment by Matt K:
I recently bought my first house and soon after started seeding and watering grass under my barren deck. Within a week or so of regular watering I now have a regular supply of toads all smaller than a quarter. They are very fascinating-Nashville, TN
Comment by Jo:
When I was 5, in 1947, our family lived next to Lake Penneseewassee, in Norway, Maine.
Just after a Spring rainstorm my brother and I went outdoors and were soon calling to Mom, “Mom, mom! Come out and see! Toads!”
Just like the picture on this page, there must have been hundreds of the tiny creatures. We tried not to step on any as we took them down towards the lake so they wouldn’t get run over in the road.
I have never seen anything like it since but I will always remember when we thought it had rained toads.
Comment by Kim:
I live in michigan and yesterday we had hundreds of baby toads surrounding our house. The problem is they are hopping down our stairs of our walk out basement and they can’t get back up
I try to collect them to move them but they jump off my my little instrument.
How do I get them out of my walkout???
Comment by Shirley:
Kim, the only thing I can suggest is to pick them up and take them away from your area. You mentioned using an instrument so I’m assuming you don’t want to touch the toads with your hands, but could you put on a pair of latex gloves to pick them up with? Then once your walkout is toad-free, could you block the stairs with a board (or something similar you can easily move) so they can’t hop back in? Usually this number of toads don’t stay around for very long.
Maybe someone else will have a better idea.
Comment by Anita:
I was happy to find this search. It’s the end of June here in Florida and about 2 weeks ago, these tiny creatures appeared! They range in color from brown to red, but most are almost black. Our backyard is very shady and the toads seem to love it there. We’ve had an abundance of rain and it’s very humid, perhaps that’s why they are thriving? It does make mowing the lawn difficult, not to mention just walking in the backyard! I find that if I shuffle my feet a bit, the movement starts the toads hopping out of my way; but you do have to walk slowly. They are as pictured, very small and can only hop so far, but they are amazingly fast! I do remember about 3 years ago in the backyard we had a plethora of juvenile toads hopping about, and thought that to be strange. They stayed for a while and then as soon as they appeared they were gone. I was wondering how long might these baby ones stay; and also if the lizards we have everywhere might eat them? Anyone?
Comment by Anita:
I was glad to find this site because I was curious about these little fellas. I live in Florida and it’s now the end of June. About 2 weeks ago these tiny toads showed up. They seem to love my backyard mostly, it’s very shady and we’ve had a lot of rain and humidity. We’ve lived in this house for about 4 years and I’ve never seen them before. About 3 years ago we did have hundreds of juvenile toads hopping about, but at least they were bigger and easier to avoid stepping on! I find that if I shuffle my feet and walk real slow, the movement starts the little guys hopping out of the way; and yes it does make mowing the lawn a very cautious task. I’m not worried as much about stepping on them as I am about all the lizards we have around eating them! I’m not sure if they do, but I was also wondering if anyone can remember how long the baby toads stay about?
Comment by Anita:
Sorry for both comments. I didn’t think the first one printed so I submitted another one. Thanks for reading them both though! :)
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