A toad’s love for eating bugs is something that gardeners can appreciate.
The ugly duckling of the amphibian world may not be as beautiful, but they make up for it with pure insect-eating skills!
1. Add More Water
The frogs and toads of the world have a special relationship. They are usually more tolerant than their amphibian counterparts, but during dry spells they need water too!
Digging up some mud or concrete for them will help encourage breeding in your garden while also giving other critters somewhere safe from which they can drink- like our backyard pond.
Make sure you know all of watering policies before getting started so that nothing goes wrong!
2. Silence your internal perfectionist
Toads are usually the bane of gardeners, and what is their worst enemy? – A well kept green space. So, silence your internal perfectionist and leave a bit of mess in your garden space.
The toad needs leaves for shelter during wintertime when it gets too cold out; if you leave some of last year’s detritus on your lawn or in flower beds, then insects will come eat this organic matter so make sure there is nothing toxic around that could harm them!
Another thing I found helpful was pulling up sticks/leaves into a corner where they can take cover from nature’s elements like snow storms and heavy winds and make it easier for these guys to hibernate during colder months.
3. Plant different plants
Planting a variety of native plants will help attract more wildlife.
For example, the flowers and grasses that are most indigenous to our area provide daytime hiding areas for vulnerable (mostly nocturnal) toads as well as insects they prey upon!
4. Go organic
Amphibians are the canary in the coal mine for our planet earth: Their delicate skin is amazingly porous and susceptible to environmental changes.
If you have a healthy toad retinue, then your pest problems will be gone naturally without any harmful pesticides or weed killer being used on them!
5. Be careful when treading
Make sure you are careful when driving at night. Amphibian carnage on humid evenings is horrific, where toads and frogs gather out in the open for warmth and moisture just after dark.
When it’s summertime, assume there will be plenty of amphibians underfoot–and try not to step on any!