American Toad (Bufo americanus) eggs

June 24, 2018 Elise

True toads are differentiated from frogs by prominent bony ridges (called cranial crests) on top of their heads, and conspicuous swellings (parotoid glands) behind their eyes. These parotoid glands are a defense mechanism against predators (including cats and dogs), as they will secrete a toxic fluid if punctured. The many warts covering a toad’s body also secrete a similar toxin. However, despite the toxin’s deterrent effect on predators, toads are not poisonous to touch (and they do not cause warts…

Spittlebugs

June 13, 2018 Elise

I have been noticing masses of white, wet, bubbly foam attached to the stems of many herbaceous plants on my recent walks. These blobs of foam are produced by the larvae of a type of Hemipteran insect in the family Cercopidae. The adults are called froghoppers because many are wider posteriorly and are shaped somewhat like a frog, and although they can fly and walk, their most obvious form of locomotion is to make large leaps (up to 200 times…

Wool Sower Gall

June 11, 2018 Elise

Galls are formed when a plant is stimulated to develop irregular growths, caused by growth regulating chemicals produced by some insects or mites, or in some cases a fungus. Examples of galls include cedar apple rust and oak apple gall. These growths can occur on any part of the plant, including the leaves, bark, flowers, buds, acorns, or roots, however leaf and twig galls are often the most noticeable. In the case of an insect induced gall, the irregular growth…

Seashore to Forest Floor

A naturalist's journey across Cape Cod and beyond

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Month: June 2018