What is the difference between frog eggs and toad eggs

Telling the difference between toad and frog spawn is very simple, you just need to look at its shape. Frogspawn is laid in big clumps of jelly, whilst toads lay long strings of eggs - a bit like a pearl necklace.

You can easily distinguish between toad and frog tadpoles a few weeks after they hatch. Toad tadpoles remain jet black, whereas frog tadpoles are mottled greenish grey with gold speckles. Back to the in your garden homepage. We use cookies to collect and analyse information on site performance and usage, to improve your browsing experience and show personalised content. You are free to manage this via your browser settings at any time. These land and water-dwelling creatures begin to stir when spring rolls around, hopping out of hibernation and heading to their breeding pools to mate.

But how do you tell them apart? While these little amphibians might look very similar at first glance, there are actually a plethora of key differences between them. Read on to find out the differences between frogs and toads. Toads are warty-looking, covered in little lumps and bumps, while frogs are sleek and smooth. Toads also virtually always have dry skin, whereas frogs look wet even when they are out of the water.

Toads cope much better with dry conditions than frogs, as their skin is more waterproof. Frogs lose moisture a lot more easily, and so are rarely seen too far away from water, which explains why they always look moist. Frogs have long legs, longer than their head and body, which are made for hopping.

Toads, on the other hand, have much shorter legs and prefer to crawl around rather than hop. Frogs are lithe and athletic-looking, whereas toads are somewhat squat and dumpy. Their faces are different too; frogs have a pointed nose while toad noses are much broader. Frogs usually have big, bulging eyes, while toads' eyes are more subtle in appearance.

One of the biggest physical differences between frogs and toads is their skin. While frogs have smooth or slimy skin that is moist, toads have thicker, bumpy skin that is usually dry. The differences in their skin are because of their typical environments. Frogs spend more time in the water or are usually very close to water while on land, so their skin stays moist.

Toads, on the other hand, spend more time on land and travel further from water, Wildlife Preservation Canada reports. Unless you live very near water, you're more likely to see toads in your yard because they travel farther from water.

A big difference between frogs and toads is that all toads are poisonous, while frogs are not. Toads have parotoid glands behind their eyes that secrete toxins. These toxins permeate their skin, so you can come into contact with them if you pick them up, according to the Conserve Wildlife Federation of New Jersey.

Most of the toxins are mild to humans, but you should always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling a toad. Both frogs and toads lay their eggs in water, but you might be able to tell them apart by the egg arrangement. Frog eggs are usually one mass or cluster, while toad eggs are usually arranged in a chain. And both frogs and toads are indicators of a healthy ecosystem, according to Wildlife Preservation Canada.

They can't live in polluted habitats and are sensitive to changes in their environment, so the presence of frogs or toads is a sign the habitat is healthy, while a sudden change in their presence can indicate the area has become polluted or is otherwise unbalanced. Another similarity is that both frogs and toads are widespread across the world, although they don't live everywhere.

Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica, while toads live all across the world with the exception of the polar regions, Australia, Polynesia and Madagascar, according to Wildlife Preservation Canada.