Common Critters - Backyard Reptiles and Amphibians

When we think of animals in our lawns and gardens we often think of birds and small mammals; yet they are not the only vertebrate backyard denizens. With the right conditions, your yard may attract amphibians and reptiles. The biggest key to attracting them is making sure that you aren't using chemicals. Amphibians are particularly sensitive to chemicals like pesticides and fertilizer because their skin is so porous. Here are some visitors which may indicate that you have a healthy lawn.

The American Toad is a fairly common amphibian in the eastern half of the United States. When growing up, there was a creek and a wood lot in the back portion of our yard in rural Illinois, and we used to find many toads in our yard. I was thrilled last year, when taking weeds to the compost, that there were toads living in my yard in suburban Wisconsin. Considering amphibians are considered to be in decline and considering that Wisconsin has had reported cases of Chytrid Infection, these amphibians seem to be doing well in our neighborhood. My wife and I often encountered them while taking our beagle for an evening stroll. They tend to be about the size of an adult palm and they eat various kinds of insects. They enjoy yards and gardens with plenty of plant life and where they can find shade in the afternoon. Having some open dirt is also a good idea because they will burrow and hibernate in winter.

Green Frogs are also an amphibian which means like our American Toad friends they are part of a phylum in decline. Frogs need more water than toads as they are far more aquatic, and with the destruction of our natural wetlands, frogs are being hit from both sides as their numbers have also dropped because of Chytrid Infection. Green Frogs are native to the eastern United States, and while they do not live in our yard (we don't have a pond), they do live in the pond at my work. My wife took the picture you can find below last summer. Green frogs aren't picky eaters and will eat insects, fish, and other amphibians. They can also be tracked by the sound they make; here's a recording from the WI DNR.

The Common Garter Snake seems to have been more common when I was a child. I remember running into these little guys regularly on the playground at school and occasionally at home (although our yard seemed to be more prone to Eastern Fox Snakes). While I haven't seen one of these in our yard yet, I remain convinced that they must be there somewhere. These snakes will eat insects, amphibians, small rodents, fish, and birds. They are often about two feet in length and have yellow stripes along a black or brown body.

One thing worth noting for all of the critters described above is that like many birds we wish to attract, these little guys eat insects. If you want them to hang around then avoid using insecticides on your lawn or garden; also make sure you are planting native plants which the insects will eat. While some people find these types of critters scary or disgusting, having amphibians and reptiles in your lawn is a great indicator that your yard is healthy.