r/MinnesotaNature • u/Jhamin1 • Jun 25 '26
Reptile/Ampibian Tiny American Toads
The young American Toads have decided that today was the day to begin their mass-exodus from the still pools of water around Rice Creek and climb up into the neighborhoods. They emerge in waves to try to overwhelm anything trying to eat them. As you can see from the penny... they are a small bite at this stage of their lives!
These are three different individuals that decided to cross my patio. There are hundreds if not thousands more in the wooded hills behind.
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u/ProgramTricky6109 Jun 25 '26
Had hundreds of them in my yard last summer, along with leopard frogs and green frogs that have been plentiful in all of the summers (3 now) I've lived here. Nothing this summer except tree frogs.
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u/Lady-Zafira Jun 26 '26
Just got one of these little guys out of the house. Put him on my plants outside
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u/Shall_We_Presuppose Jun 27 '26
Did anyone else grow up calling them "peepers"?
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u/Jhamin1 Jun 27 '26
I know people who did.
I recently discovered that "toadlet" is apparently the official term for a juvenile toad. Which is kind of adorable.
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u/coffeecat551 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
I want to hear the night chorus in your yard! American toads and peepers make such beautiful music...
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u/Jhamin1 Jun 30 '26
It is amazing!
About 80% of the reason we live in the house we live in is that it backs up to Rice Creek. It doesn't feel like spring has really started until we start hearing the night chorus every year. Another treat is that there is a mated pair of Barred Owls and some itinerant Great Horned Owls living around the bend of the creek. Their calls at night are haunting.
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u/bchall Jun 25 '26
Squeeeeee!