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red spotted newt (click for description) green frog (click for a description) american toad (click for a description)

Red Spotted Newt        click for a larger image
This picture shows the adult stage of this animal’s life. Young newts are called red efts and live on land for about two years after hatching from eggs in the water. When it is time to come back to the water, the eft undergoes several changes. First, their color changes from bright orange to a dull, green color. Second, their tail, which was once round becomes flat in order to be used for swimming. Adult newts can be found in many ponds and lakes throughout the Adirondacks, while the red efts can be found wandering through damp areas of the forests.

Green Frog    click for a larger image
Green frogs are very common in the Adirondacks and here at Up Yonda Farm. There color can vary, but is always some shade of green. The sound these frogs make is similar to that of a broken banjo string. Can you say, “Ga-gunk?” Green frogs can get fairly large and are sometimes confused for larger bullfrogs. However, as you’ll notice in the picture, there is a line, called a dorsa-lateral ridge, which starts behind the eye and runs down the entire length of the Green frog’s body. This ridge on a bullfrog wraps around the ear or tympanum, but does not continue down its back.

American Toad    click for a larger image
Toads are often confused with frogs, but there are several differences between the two. The main difference is that frogs have smooth skin, while toads have many bumps or warts. There is also a difference between the eggs of these two amphibians. Frogs lay their eggs in a big mass, while toads lay their eggs in long strings. You will most likely find frogs around standing water, such as ponds and lakes, while toads are more of an inland species.