Heroic Little Toadlets!

Living in rainy Devon, UK, one gets used to the disappointment caused by slugs and snails decimating beautiful young seedlings. Due to this all too frequent occurrence in my own garden, I'm constantly on the look out for ways to keep them under control. I outright refuse to use slug pellets or any other pesticides though. 

However frustrating slugs can be, I have no interest in eradicating them or their shelled relatives completely. I merely wish to keep them in check until my delicate seedlings mature to a point where they can hold their own. A little nibble here and there encourages plants to bolster its own natural defences. Similar to how it is healthier for us humans to strengthen our own immune systems coming into contact with visuses like the common cold regularly, rather than cloistering ourselves away in sterile conditions.

So today I was excited to welcome a new form of mollosc control to my little patch of paradise, toads!

toadlet

As you can see, they are minute right now, baby toads called toadlets just beyond the tadpole stage of their lifecycle. These ones are toadlets of the common toad (bufo bufo). Surprisingly, this is one of the UK's only two native toad species.

In the wetlands of my local area this spring, I looked high and low for the long gelatinous strands of spawn produced by toads with no luck. I thought that for yet another year my little pond would remain devoid of amphibians. Just to explain, my little walled garden is close to the city centre surrounded by terraced houses, pavement, and concrete. Inhospitable for any amphibian to cross seeking a new fishless pond to lay eggs. As I say, I thought I would have to wait a whole year to try again.

However, in a last ditch effort not to give up, I had the wild idea of looking online. To my pleasant surprise, I found a seller, a single online shop selling native amphibian species in Scotland. I could not believe it! I quickly ordered 20 captive-bred toadlets. I must admit, I felt curious how the little ones would arrive in one piece. They arrived by priority overnight delivery comfortably packed in a tub of fresh moist moss. When I carefully opened the lid, they immediately began poking their tiny heads out over the side eager to venture into their brave new world. 

The weather was rainy, wet, and miserable, perfect for their release. I just opened the lid and left them to it amongst the sodden leafy carpet of alpine strawberries flanking my shady pond. I bid them welcome and waved goodbye all in a single gesture. 

Fingers crossed at least a couple survive into adulthood. I dearly hope one day to meet them again, maybe lazily keeping the slugs at bay beneath the the raspberry canes. 
 
Good luck my little friends! Good luck!

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