March is often a good month to spot common toads as they migrate from their overwintering sites to breeding ponds, particularly on warm, damp evenings. Every year they return to the same pond via the same route, but they can get into trouble if humans build along these routes. Roads in particular can make this migration dangerous, but our wonderful volunteer Toad Patrollers are working hard to reduce this risk by helping common toads safely cross roads along their migration routes.
Once they arrive at breeding ponds, males grasp onto the backs of females forming an amplexus, allowing the male to fertilise her eggs as she lays them. Mating balls often form where multiple males hold onto one female, and unfortunately this can sometimes end up with the female being drowned. However, many female toads do survive and successfully breed, producing a new generation of common toads! Unlike common frogs which lay their eggs in clumps, common toads lay their eggs in long strings wrapped around pond vegetation, so you may have to look a little closer to spot the toad spawn!
To find out more about toad patrols take a look at our website.
