This was a fun night!
In case you missed my last couple posts, last night was a blast. I actually planned on heading out to the lake to try to catch some giant water snakes that I had seen the night before, but a storm and drop in temperature helped change those plans. We decided to collect some of the many toads in the area and relocate them to our garden.
While enjoying that adventure we had two other adventures, which included seeing a mother skunk and her two offspring and finding a dung beetle. It turned out to be one wild night!
A LATE NIGHT TOAD HUNT - WHAT COULD BE BETTER?
There are usually some toads around anyway at night, but it seems like a good rain brings them out in droves. I'd been meaning to take the @little-peppers on a toad collecting adventure anyway, so last night we seized the opportunity.
With Red-Pepper, Pinkie-Pepper, and Monster Truck the Pepper there to help, we went out in the adventure. When a parent gets as excited as I do about things like this, it's not surprising that the @little-peppers love it too! Some children would anyway, but it always better to do things as a family.
The purpose of the toad collection and relocation was that they eat bugs, including garden pests. From what I saw yesterday, we've already got a healthy population of lizards running around in the garden, so a few toads would just add to the fun. As I shared before, my philosophy on building a garden is that it is not just somewhere to grow food, but somewhere to be, including for a variety of animals.
Some animals, like deer or aphids, just don't fit in well in a garden and can actually destroy it. However, there are many animals like butterflies, lizards, bees, and toads that can benefit and help a garden. As the pest insects continue to look for something to eat in our garden, these toads should be waiting for them, ready to eat them!
We did find a few Gray Tree Frogs too, so they came down to the garden as well. If they enjoy the garden as a new home, great, but if they prefer to be somewhere else, they will be free to leave. Hopefully they will enjoy it and find a number of tasty treats to enjoy!
This toad was very strange to see. It almost looked like dog scratching itself because it raised its back legs and scooted along on its butt. As it turns out, it was acting so strange because it had just went poop and was apparently wiping its butt. We had never seen anything like it... until last night that is!
Down in the garden nine toads and two gray tree frogs found a new home last night. With our rock-bordered raised beds there are plenty of safe hiding places for them. Hopefully we will be seeing some of them later.
This toad went directly to "cucumber patrol" and looks as determined as ever. They are such interesting creatures anyway, it'll be nice t give them a "job" to do here on our homestead!
This gray tree frog opted for the snake gourds. Hopefully it doesn't find that rough green snake that I let go there the other day, or it'll become prey instead of the predator that we hope it'll be. So, have any of you ever relocated toads or frogs into your garden? Do you think they'll help us out with the pest control?
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-original-organic-pest-control
Hahahahahahaha enough toad to go round the peppers. This is good. I enjoy it when you always say @little-peppers are there to help. They are bundle of joy!.
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The natural of the beautiful garden. I love this animal, thank you so much for sharing this post, sir to each of your posts. * I like to love your garden.
The name of this creature is frog and they move very slowly and I like this animal very slowly
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That's nice - using local biological controls to keep your garden safe.
They sort of did that here, except they used imported biological controls, and then they had to import other creatures to try and keep them down, and then... hehehe.
Whenever someone talks about toads I always think of cane toads. These things are HUGE. They'd keep neighborhood DOGS out of your garden!
But your ones look a lot cuter :-)
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Yeah, they sure are bigger! We found some last time we went to Texas! Crazy creatures!!! We like using local ones in the garden!!
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Nice adventure and an interesting experiment. I'll bet they had a feast last night. By the way, those branches are black mulberries.
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Excellent news! I thought so!
Thanks so much man! You the man!
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I agree with the photo caption! "Organic pest control"....a natural and preferred way to go!
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Oh yeah, from way back in the day... ever since there was a pest to control!
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hahaha this is so amazing!! :) Nature's pest control at it's finest! I remember having an aphid problem last year with my potatoes. Then all of a sudden I saw a few ladybugs. Then tons of ladybugs, it was awesome, cleared up my aphid problem pretty quickly. Now I just need something for the 115 degree heat that is coming...lol
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Nice! Gotta love them lady bugs!
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hahaha that is for sure! :)
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Dear sir it's a pleasure to enjoy you simultaneously in Sola and here thank you for your inspiring post to others who are searching for pest control, it will save money and finally environment too which is much important beyond money.
Lovely kids. Enjoying the papa-pepper's adventures.
Good night dear sir.
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What a great adventure. I love the natural way you are going about controlling pest in your garden. You have once again soon us that every creature is useful
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When I was a child I enjoyed to bring toads with my father. It was funny and he help me to love this animal. He used them for the same reason of you: they are useful in the garden! Also today, if I see a toad, I can't resist to bring him in my hands (sure, after some minutes I leave him free ^_^)
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my place is very much toads .... i am very amused with frogs ....
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Love the little toads and frogs. I use them as my mosquito control. Works great!
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I think the Cane Toads Trevor was meaning are the Australian Cane Toads, they have a poisonous slimy covering, the would be bigger in size than your footprint.
They have close relatives in Fiji, not what you want in your garden around the kids.
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Where did you get those cool head lights?
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You think the toads will stick around or head to frog hollow? :-)
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This is very cool,you've collected some pretty stars.
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