Sue Reineck stopped me the other day and asked if I had heard the frogs at night so after dinner tonight (delicious meal at Francisco Grande with Jim and Janet Hoppe) we headed over to Reinecks with flashlights in hand to explore. Sue thought they were spring peepers like she sees back east but after some careful research tonight, I think they are Arizona toads as they're too big for peepers.
Here's a picture from the internet of an Arizona toad calling:
(Don't panic. These are NOT the Sonoran Desert toads that can be harmful to pets if eaten.) These are harmless and helpful as they'll eat a lot of pesty insects.
REPRODUCTION AND CALLS: Breeding occurs over a relatively short period (10-12 days) in February through April. Breeding is not triggered by rainfall events. Arizona toads breed in pools, typically along streams and rivers. Eggs are laid in stringers on the bottom; clutches range from about 3150-4280. Eggs hatch in 3-6 days, and tadpoles typically metamorphose in 1-3 months, but development can be slower in cooler water or at higher elevations. The advertisement call is a trill that lasts 8-10 seconds. Calling males are often strung out singly along stream courses. This species has a tendency to hop, instead of "walk."
I think we're going to have a LOT of tadpoles!!!!
Here are pictures of what we found in our creek:
This one is X-rated:
I tried to get a recorded sound.
And here are the avid froggers who accompanied me on tonight's excursion.
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| Joe & Sue Reineck, Jim and Janet Hoppe |
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