Frogs are commonly found in and around the woodland habitat at Risley Moss, whereas toads prefer to be out on the main mossland.

They are both amphibians, meaning they're adapted to live both in water and on dry land. 

Frogs

Frogs are smooth-skinned creatures, with large round pupils, mottled brown, or grey and green in appearance, with varying patterns between individuals. They're quite happy jumping across dry land, unlike a toad.

Toads

Toads, on the other hand, have horizontal pupils, shaped like a thin lens. They tend to be brown, grey or tan coloured in appearance and have a drier looking warty skin. Toads don't jump across dry land like the frog. Instead, they'll move along with a clumsy walk. 

Breeding

Both hibernate during the winter, before heading to their favourite spawning pond in springtime to mate and lay their eggs. You'll find frogspawn in round clumps of about 2,000 eggs. Toad spawn, on the other hand,  will be laid in long lines wound around aquatic vegetation, with each string of eggs on average containing 1,500 eggs.

The tadpoles grow their back legs first and will remain in the water until they've turned into small froglets/toadlets in the summer or early autumn. They then hide away in damp vegetation until it's time to hibernate for the winter. 

No more snails

If you've got problems with slugs and snails in your garden, then introduce some frogs and toads! Slugs and snails are firm favourites!

24 January 2022

Did you know?

  • Frogs have round pupils
  • Toads have horizontal pupils