Have you ever spotted a toads hiding out in your garden and wondered what sort of food they eat. Toads have an appetite that may surprise you, munching on more than just bugs and worms.
This Article guide will give you an inside look at the varied menu that sustains these squat amphibians.
We’ll explore what common garden and backyard toads like to devour so you can better understand their dining habits. From insects and slugs to something slimier, you’ll discover there isn’t much a hungry toad won’t gobble up if it fits in their mouth! We’ll also touch on any variations in diet between different toad species.
When Do Toads Eat?
During daylight, toads hunt on overcast days or in shaded moist areas. But they typically shelter in cover and stay inactive when temperatures rise.
After rains or in wetter areas, toads often be seen foraging during the day taking advantage of active invertebrates on the ground. Aquatic and semi-aquatic toads like the common midwife toad in Europe feed more frequently in and around water bodies throughout a 24-hour cycle.
Breeding behaviors also influence feeding times. Males of species like the Natterjack toad fast during mating seasons to focus energy on calling and mating.Tropical rainforest species forage both day and night as heat and humidity permit activity year-round in those climates.
During winter in colder regions, toads become less active and feed much less frequently, surviving mainly off fat reserves until conditions warm up.
3 Types of Toads Species
American Toad
The American Toad has a wide range across eastern and central North America. Found in forests, fields, and wetland areas, they are generalist feeders consuming whatever prey is abundant locally. Beetles, spiders, crickets, caterpillars, slugs, worms and snails all make up their diet.
American Toads will actively forage both on land and near shores and ponds, using their fast tongue to capture prey within a few inches. As tadpoles, they graze on algae and organic matter in shallow ponds and marshes during their development.
Cane Toad
The invasive Cane Toad, introduced from South and Central America to places like Australia, Hawaii and beyond, displays an omnivorous diet. They have been documented consuming almost anything that moves, from various insect orders to small vertebrates.
Fruits that have fallen on the ground are also eaten opportunistically. Their toxins allow hunting of more vigorous prey like beetles, ants, worms, snails and even snakes or lizards. This highly adaptive dietary plasticity has undoubtedly contributed to their successful colonization of diverse non-native habitats globally wherever introduced.
Common Toads
Common Toads, found across much of Europe and Asia, also demonstrate generalist foraging. While diets vary regionally, with specializations on slugs/snails in the UK or ants in the Mediterranean, they primarily consume easily accessible invertebrates like insects, worms and spiders encountered on land or near shores.
Plant material is only eaten occasionally as an supplement; these toads rely heavily on protein from invertebrate prey throughout the year.
What Do Toads Eat?
Toads have highly varied diet that allow to take advantage of a wide range of food sources. As opportunistic foragers, they consume both animals and plants to meet their nutrient needs. Let’s take a closer look at the primary items that toads can eat.
Invertebrates
Insects can eat beetles, ants, crickets, flies Spiders, centipedes and other small arthropods. Toads use their fast tongues to capture prey.
Slug and snails lack defenses, making them easy for toads to ingest. Earthworms, nematodes and other soil invertebrates feature prominently in toad diets as well due to their accessibility underground.
Aquatic habitats provide invertebrates like water fleas, scuds and freshwater shrimp/crayfish. These small crustaceans are nutritious and help toads meet calorie demands.
Other tiny invertebrates occasionally eaten include insect larvae/pupae, spring tails, mites and sow bugs/pill bugs. Even though exoskeletons are slowly digested to unlock nutrients.
Small Vertebrates
Tadpoles and juvenile frogs are eaten near breeding ponds during seasonal reproduction. This provides baby toads protein for growth. Very small lizards, snakes and salamanders less than 3 inches long may fall prey to toads on rare occasions.
Plant Materials
Fruits like mulberries, hack berries and elderberries provide easily digestible carbohydrates when available. Leaves, flowers and buds from plants like dandelions, clover and poison ivy supplement their diets with vitamins/minerals.
Toad Diet Variation
Diet compositions differ according to species and habitat. Aquatic toads incorporate more aquatic invertebrates while terrestrial types focus on ground-dwelling bugs and worms.
Tropical toads consume more ants and fruit compared to temperate zones. Poison dart frogs lick toxins from bugs for defense rather than eating them.
Toads also show ontogenic diet shifts, starting as tadpoles grazing algae/detritus and evolving insectivorous habits as adults.
What Do Cane Toads Eat?
Cane toads are prolific eaters that can consume a wide variety of food. As omnivores their diet consists of invertebrates like insects, worms and slugs. These provide plenty of calories and nutrients to power their foraging activities. Due to their toxin glands, cane toads face few predators and are able to actively hunt down bug snacks without much fear of being eaten themselves.
In addition to bugs, cane toads also dine on small reptiles, frogs, or baby birds if the opportunity arises. However, larger vertebrates make up a very small portion of their regular meals. More often, they supplement their invertebrate intake with softer fare like earthworms and slugs that require little effort to eat.
Fruits and human food sources also feature in the cane toad’s flexible diet when available. They have been observed feeding on fallen figs, berries, and sweet snacks left out by people. This dietary plasticity has allowed cane toads to thrive in new habitats after introduction, finding sustenance from diverse indigenous and anthropogenic food sources. Their broad appetites have undoubtedly supported their invasion success around the world.
Interesting Facts about Toads
Here are some interesting facts about toads
Toad Skills
Did you know toads have some pretty impressive abilities? Their dry, bumpy skin acts as magic moisturizer. A special mucus secreted from their skin protects the warty exterior from germs while keeping them hydrated.
Toads have Defensive Mechanisms
Those giant lumps behind a toad’s eyes, called parotoid glands, are more than just looks – they pack some serious heat. The glands secrete a bitter, milky toxin that says “back off” to most predators. However, some snakes like the king snake have evolved immunity to the poison, allowing them to safely prey on toads. To avoid becoming a meal, toads rely on this toxin as a defense.
Mobility
Some species like the marine toad demonstrate incredible leaping abilities. They are capable of launching over 10 feet, more than 20 times their body length! This vertical mobility allows them to both catch prey and escape threats with remarkable hops. When threatened, toads will jump away from danger rather than remaining stationary.
Breeding Behaviors
When it’s time to attract a mate, male toads show off their vocal skills by chorusing at night or during rains. Their loud, singsong croaks can carry as far as half a mile – quite the impressive serenade to lure in ladies from a distance. This calling behavior gets triggered by environmental cues like heavy rains.
Can Survive Hard Times
Even droughts can’t stop some tough toads. Species like the African painted toad adapt by burying themselves underground during dry spells. They remain dormant in the dirt for months at a time until rains return, conserving energy. This strategy allows toads to withstand periods of scarce resources.
Can toads eat fruit
Yes, toad species eat fruit under the right circumstances. Here are some details:
- Toads are generally insectivorous, meaning their primary diet consists of invertebrate prey like insects and worms. However, they are opportunistic omnivores and will consume plant matter on occasion.
- Tropical toad species that live in areas with fruit-bearing plants are more likely to incorporate fallen or decaying fruits into their diets. Poison dart frogs and marine toads have been observed eating berries.
- Fruit provides an energy-rich supplement to their usual protein from invertebrates. Soft pulpy fruits are easiest for toads to digest versus harder seeds and skins.
- Ripened fallen fruits on the forest floor or near water provide a readily-available carbohydrate source with fewer defenses than living insect prey.
- Some captive studies show toads will readily consume mushy banana, melon, berries and other soft fruits when other foods aren’t available.
I am Ismail Jam, and I have a great interest in frogs and toads. These amazing creatures are full of variety and play important roles in nature. I enjoy learning about them and their habitats as I travel and explore different places.