Southern toad Anaxyrus terrestris
Crested southern king greets March and chilly love–brrrrrrrr– the hushed burrow waits
Look and listen for Southern toads in Virginia’s southeastern Coastal Plain. They love the night life, spending their days in soft burrows and emerging after dark to dine on snails, beetles, ants and crickets. Mating occurs from March through September; males gather and call to females in a high trill lasting 5 to 10 seconds. Comfortable in human environments with nearby freshwater, Southern toads may be seen after dark eating insects attracted to outdoor lights. Remember, toads protect themselves with an irritating skin toxin, so wash your hands if you touch one.
Patricia Williams Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (Southern Toad) Watercolor on Multimedia Artboard 12 x 12 $225
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