Hi ,
Each evening we enjoy the little creatures that come up onto our front porch chasing various insects - frogs! Or... are they frogs? Aren't they toads? What's the difference?
As it turns out, there really isn't that much that separates them. But there are a few characteristics that set them apart from each other. And even then, the lines get blurred at times. Toads are actually a type of frog.
In the pictures below, the left one is a toad and the right one is a frog (a tiny coqui frog, sitting on my hand in Puerto Rico). Here are the basic differences between the two:
1. Back legs - Frogs typically have much longer back legs than toads, allowing them to jump much further. Toad back legs are shorter.
2. Movement - Frogs can jump pretty far due to their back legs. Toads often walk, or crawl. They can certainly hop, too, but nowhere near like a frog.
3. Color - Frogs are often green, while toads appear mostly brownish. Here again, this is not always true. This is one of those areas where sometimes they can trick you. There are many frogs around the world that are highly colored.
4. Habitat - Frogs typically live close to water, or in it. Toads don't have to. They can live much further away from water than frogs typically do.
5. Eggs - Both frogs and toads lay their eggs in water. Typically, frog eggs are in one mass, like a clump of grapes. Toad eggs are often in a chain.
6. Skin - The skin of a frog is most-often smooth and even slimy. The skin of a toad is drier and often bumpy. However, some frogs have skin that's very similar to a toad.
NOTE: You can't get warts from touching a toad!
