Do you love animals?
Do you have a pet at home that has been with you for a long time and is your best friend?
If so, this blog post is just for you. Read on to learn about an interesting creature called the yellow belly toad.
This creature’s journey began in 1985 when one of my colleagues discovered it in northern California.
It turns out that this species of frog, which we call the “yellow-belly” due to its characteristic bright yellow colouration under its legs and around its groin area, is found only within 1 or 2 counties in northern California.
These frogs are so unique and endangered because they are compassionate creatures that can’t live outside their natural habitat, which means if they get too cold, they can’t survive.
What is a yellow belly toad, and what does it eat
A yellow belly toad is a kind of frog with a distinctive bright yellow abdomen.
This frog’s diet consists mainly of ants and termites.
Their long sticky tongues make it easy for them to catch insects.
Have you ever seen a purple or maroon-coloured cone shell?
If so, you may recall that they are gorgeous seashells.
The yellow belly toads in California eat these kinds of cones and actually use their shells as protection for them when they sleep at night.
These cones also give them water because the material inside is like a sponge.
So if you want to see one of these frogs, look out for dark grey-brown cone shells with orange tips on the beach – there’s a good chance that the yellow belly frog will be nearby!
What makes this frog unique
The yellow belly toad has two peculiar behaviours that set it apart from its cousins.
First of all, this frog always lays its eggs buried in the sand at the beach.
Secondly, every time a yellow belly toad comes across danger, it has the ability to roll itself into a ball shape that looks like small soccer (or, as we called them back home, football) – and these balls are so big that you can’t even see their heads!
The yellow belly toad’s biggest threat is the coastal development in California and around the world.
Because of this, there are only small numbers left of this frog species in northern California.
However, thanks to my research team at San Francisco State University, I have learned a lot about these amazing frogs and their critical role within their ecosystem because very few reptiles (turtles and snakes) can live near them.
The problem is that we know even less about them than other species because so little information is available on protecting them in the wild or studying them.
This makes it very difficult for me to protect their habitat from further damage or destruction by humans or animals like skunks – but I am determined to do everything I can to save these amazing frogs.
Where do they live
The yellow belly toad can be found in the southeastern United States.
They live in wetland areas, marshes, and ponds that are part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
What do they look like
They are short toad that ranges in size from 0.5 to 1.5 inches.
They have a hind toe and two distinctive yellow patches on their belly, which can vary in shape depending on the geographical location of the population.
Yellow bellies live throughout the southeastern United States, with some populations extending into northern states as well. Still, not all individuals will have a yellow spot on their belly (For example, Louisiana populations).
These foragers are grey or brownish with dark spots or blotches that range from pale or light grey to black at maturity.
The markings become more intense during the breeding season and when threatened by predators, but this is variable across distinct populations of these foragers due to convergent evolution.
They have a broad, flat head with medium-sized eyes on the sides of their heads. Their snout is rounded and short, with nostrils that sit in two tiny pits.
They have small legs used for digging and can dig up to 8 inches underground quickly.
Their skin is dry and smooth as it does not need to be moist since they live in warm wet areas.
Why are their bellies yellow?
Their yellow bellies help these frogs blend in with their surroundings.
It camouflages them from predators and also makes it hard for predators to spot them.
They prey on insects and eggs found in shallow pools of water. They are known to eat crustaceans, molluscs, plants and small fish.
Why do they have toe pads?
Their toes are specially designed to help them climb up the muddy walls of their terrariums. The frogs use their toes for catching food and moving around.
What kind of environment do they need?
Leaf frogs like it warm!
You will want to keep your leaf frog habitat at 80 degrees Fahrenheit at least!
Of course, that means you’ll also want lots of heat sources – no room leftover without a heating pad or lamp!
Your leaf frog habitat will need some live or artificial plants so that your frog has proper cover from predators.
How can you help them survive in the wild
One of the ways yellow belly toads can survive in the wild is by eating their natural prey.
The yellow-bellied toad is an insectivore.
This means that they are opportunistic carnivores and will eat anything they can get their hands on.
As a result, yellow-bellied toads have less competition for food sources and places to live with other animal predators.
They will eat crickets, beetles, and even mosquitoes if they so choose.
While yellow-bellied toads are insectivores as adults, yellow-bellied toads require tadpole food sources.
A yellow belly toad will create a nursery pond for its future offspring and lay eggs within that pond.
When the eggs hatch into tadpoles, they eat benign algae until they turn into yellow belly toad larvae and yellow belly toad juveniles.
They continue this unique eating pattern until they have turned into fully developed yellow-bellied toads ready for the wild as predators.
Conclusion
The yellow belly toad is a relatively small creature, only about an inch and a half in length.
They typically live around bodies of water like swamps or marshes, where they feed on bugs that have fallen into the water.
Yellow bellies are currently listed as endangered species due to habitat destruction from human development activities such as draining wetlands for agriculture use.
If you see one in your yard or near your home, please refrain from capturing it because doing so will disrupt its natural food supply and may cause them to starve when their usual sources disappear.
Catch-and-release methods should be used if you want these animals alive so they can continue breeding with each other!
