American Toad Bufo americanus. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.

Sidewalk Saga: Links in the Food Chain Meet at Two Paces

My Nature Journal Summary

DateOctober 06, 2022
Time8:00PM EDT
TemperatureApproximately 70ยฐF / 21ยฐC
WeatherDark, scattered clouds
WindNone
Humidity51%
HabitatSuburban neighborhood after sunset
Animals EncounteredAmerican Toad (Bufo americanus)

Field Cricket (Grylla sp.)
10/06/2022 Now I Wonder Nature Journal Summary

My Nature Journal Photos

American Toad (Bufo americanus)

This evening’s nature walk took my husband and me around our neighborhood. This American Toad squatted in the middle of the sidewalk and showed no inclination to move as we approached.

American Toad. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
Photograph taken by the author Copyright Now I Wonder

Toads have existed on earth for hundreds of millions of years and they are the bad-boys of the amphibian world.

They have thick, warty-looking skin, broad mouths and short, stubby legs. But the “warts” on their skin aren’t warts at all but are poison glands. These glands manufacture a milky poison that the toads secrete when attacked by predators. This poison is so effective that most predators leave toads alone.

Thus, this toad’s complete indifference to our presence.

Most humans don’t consider toads very attractive creatures. But I really like them.

Not only do I respect any animal that manufactures poison, I also really appreciate toads for their voracious appetites. Toads aren’t picky eaters and will eat anything they can fit into their mouths. They consume prodigious numbers of insects, especially those that crawl on or near the ground…..like say, cockroaches.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Any creature that will eat a cockroach is A-OK in my book.

Field Cricket (Grylla sp.)

That said, toads eat many animals that don’t inspire the same level of loathing in my heart as cockroaches. Such as crickets, for example.

Field Cricket. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
Photograph taken by the author Copyright Now I Wonder

A mere two steps away, this Field Cricket crouched on the sidewalk. She was a female, as evidenced by the long, spear-like ovipositor extending from the end of her abdomen.

And she was in mortal danger from the toad hunched just a few feet away.

Toads are ambush predators who can attack from a distance. They waitโ€”quiet and stillโ€”for prey to wander by, then shoot out their long, stretchy tongues. Their tongues are tipped with sticky secretions that glue insects to them. The toads yank their insect-laden tongues back into their mouths and swallow the unfortunate insects whole.

I’d be willing to bet the toad knew the cricket’s exact location, and was just waiting for her to come a little closer.

Toads hear extremely well, which is one reason they can hunt so successfully at night. My human ears couldn’t hear the noise this cricket made as it crawled across the pavement. But I guarantee the toad could hear her approach just fine.

American Toad. American Toad. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
Photograph taken by the author Copyright Now I Wonder

Conclusion

We didn’t wait around to see whether this cricket met her demise at the tongue of the nearby toad. I hope she hopped in the opposite direction and spent the rest of the night in blissful ignorance of the massive amphibian who lurked just out of sight.

But that’s mostly because I want my local toads to eat more cockroaches.

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Christine
Christine is the creator and author of NowIWonder.com, a website dedicated to the animals and plants that share our world, and the science that helps us understand them. Inspired by lifelong exploration and learning, Christine loves to share her knowledge with others who want to connect with wild faces and wild spaces.

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