Woodhouse Toad

Woodhouse Toad

Anaxyrus woodhousii
TRUE TOADS (Bufonidae)

Click on each photo thumbnail to enlarge.

This toad comes in a variety of colors, from gray to yellow brown. It grows to about 4-5 inches from nose to tail. It usually has a white stripe down the center of its back, and more than 2 warts per dark blotches on its back. Images “E” and “F” show a very young specimen, less than an inch long. It was identified with the help of Dennis Ferraro. The belly is usually unspotted and gray. But our local toads are usually difficult to identify – see also the American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus). Experts also look at the shape and location of the glands behind the eyes (not seen well in these images). This particular specimen was identified from these images with the help of Dennis Ferraro, Herpetologist at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

This should be the most common toad in our area. It should be fairly common near water in Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods, but they are not often seen. Look for them after a good rain in the spring and summer.

The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Loren Padelford.