Hi everyone and welcome back to Curious By Nature!
My name is Airen and today we’re back in the Nature Museum
and will be getting an up-close look at some of our living collections.
And to kick us off, I have a question for you:
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a frog and a toad?
I know I have and I'm sure most of us have
even used their names interchangeably sometimes.
And while these two are remarkably similar,
there’s also so much that makes them unique
and we’re going to learn all about it in today’s episode.
Let’s hop to it!
We’re starting in our Mysteries of the Marsh exhibit
and we’re going to learn about the similarities and differences between frogs and toads by taking
a look at some of these amazing amphibian species we have here at the Nature Museum.
Frogs and toads are both amphibians,
a group of cold-blooded animals that have a backbone
and spend part of their lives, or all of their lives, in water.
And frogs and toads are even part of the same order of animals,
called Anura, which means “without a tail”.
While they may not have tails,
they do have other adaptations that make them each very distinct.
The first difference you might notice is their skin.
Unlike frogs, toads have dry and bumpy skin.
They even have distinct kidney bean shaped glands
on the back of their heads that secrete a terrible tasting toxin to protect them from predators.
This toxin can also irritate human skin.
The common folklore that touching a toad can give you warts is untrue
but based on people coming into contact with this toxin.
Frogs, on the other hand, have moist and smooth skin that can even be slimy,
but it is never dry or bumpy.
Another major difference between the two are their legs and motion.
Frogs have powerful back legs for leaping and swimming.
Their toes are webbed,
meaning skin connect each toe to make a powerful paddle to help them swim.
Toads have much shorter back legs
and because of this they walk or even waddle instead of hopping or swimming.
Toad toes are not webbed
and since they spend their adult lives on land they don't swim.
And finally, they have some unique habitats.
Both leopard frogs and American toads are found all over the Chicago area
and huge parts of North America,
but their habitats are quite different.
Toads spend their adult lives in fields, forests, parks, grasslands, or gardens,
while frogs are found in the waters of creeks, streams, ponds, marshes, or swamps.
While these adaptations make them distinct, they do share a lot of similarities, too.
For one, they both spend the first part of their lives in water.
Both frogs and toads lay eggs in shallow ponds, streams, or creeks.
The frogs lay their eggs in large clusters that look almost like spilled jelly
while toads lay their eggs in long strings that look like beads on a necklace.
Another similarity between frogs and toads is they eat the same food.
While the tadpoles of both frogs and toads are herbivores,
meaning they eat soft plant material like moss or algae,
adult frogs and toads are carnivores and hunt insects, worms, spiders, and slugs.
They even eat their food in a similar way.
They use their eyes!
Once a frog or toad has a wriggling insect in their mouth
each eyeball will sink into its head,
pushing the insect down their throat and into their stomach,
essentially helping them swallow their food!
Do you see how it looks like their eyes are almost popping out?
Frogs and toads are indicator species - which means if they’ve chosen to live or lay their eggs
in a particular pond or stream it's a clue that the habitat is thriving and free from pollutants.
Because frogs and toads are indicator species they are important to every ecosystem,
so it’s great to see them around Chicago!
Here at the Nature Museum, our scientists play an active role in the conservation and stewardship of
local wildlife species, including butterflies, Blanding’s turtles, and even frogs and toads!
Working with both fellow scientists and volunteers, we will help care for
wildlife populations during the earliest and most difficult phases of their life cycle.
We also work with volunteers in community science programs,
such as the Calling Frog Survey, to monitor populations of wildlife
as a way to support their long-term health.
To learn more about our community science projects
and how to get involved with the Calling Frog Survey, visit naturemuseum.org/communityscience.
Frogs and toads have hopped into our hearts through storybooks,
songs, fairytales, and movies, and there is so much to learn from them.
Next time you’re out and about in a local park or at the Nature Museum,
see if you can spot any of these amazing amphibians
and put your knowledge to the test!
Let us know in the comments which species you’re seeing.
And if you thought today’s episode was "toadally" awesome,
be sure to give it a like and make sure you’re subscribed to our channel
so you never miss an update from the Nature Museum.
Don’t forget, you can now come see our frogs and toads,
as well as all of our living collections, again in person at the Nature Museum.
Go online with an adult and head to
naturemuseum.org to begin planning your next visit.
That’s our show for today, we hope to see you hop into the Nature Museum soon,
and we’ll see you back here next time on Curious By Nature!