Re: adaptable toads

**A*@aol.com**

I had the same experience in Virginia.  For a number of years we have  had 
a toad that lives in the dirt in a flower pot (under the leaves of  whatever 
plant is in the pot) on the back porch and another on the front porch,  
also in a pot under hosta leaves.  They both come out at night, and we  have to 
be careful when we go out at night to be sure we don't step on  them.  My 
90 pound collie is totally put off by them -- he sniffed, one of  them 
hopped, and now he won't get near them!

By the way -- as to pests, deer are the big thing here in Northern  
Virginia.  We have a herd, varying  from about 12 to about 24, which  roams through 
our yard all year.  The collie is our "deer suppression  system", but it's 
not fool proof -- he's inside during the night, and they know  it.  And they 
come out and play.  (Go figure -- he's afraid of a  toad but will chase 
deer!) The hosta's are now used as porch  plants.  And I grow lots of 
daffodils, peonies, iris, and other  more-or-less deer-proof plants.

Lina Burton

In a message dated 6/23/2012 1:53:38 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
Catriona@CatrionaTudorErler.com writes:

We had a  toad in our garden in Virginia that adapted to modernity.  It 
would sit  under the path light leading to our front door and zap any insect 
attracted to  the light!  Reminded me of the lions in Kruger National Park in 
South  Africa.  They've found a good use for the tourists' cars; they use 
them  as blinds to hunt their prey.

Catriona
On Jun 23, 2012, at 1:31 PM,  Tom wrote:

> Toads and frogs will also eat any spiders they can  catch....toads are 
> especially good for this. I would expect having a  small water feature in 
the 
> landscape that was attractive to  toads....that that would help greatly 
to 
> get their numbers  up.

Catriona Tudor Erler
965 Pintail Lane
Charlottesville, VA  22903
434  953-6780
Catriona@CatrionaTudorErler.com
www.CatrionaTudorErler.com

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