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Friday, September 9, 2011

On my mind...If you kiss a toad does he turn into a handsome prince?

Today, being Friday, means that I'm joining in with Rhonda Jean's  Down to Earth blog's Friday feature 'On my Mind...". here
 This morning I noticed movement in a garden pot which appeared to have water in it from a recent shower of rain. On closer inspection I found this! Yes a cane toad,  and that means that the weather is definitely warming up.






Cane toads were introduced into a small area in North Queensland  from Hawaii in 1935. The reason for this was to kill a beetle that was causing problems here in the sugarcane industry. Apparently 102 toads were released originally. Authorities didn't expect that they would multiply  at an alarming rate and estimated numbers now are believed to be about 200 million. The toad does not have any real predators in Australia and they have spread all throughout Queensland, have been found in New South Wales and also in the Northern Territory. They are a pest! They are not a protected species and there are various campaigns to lessen their numbers. Children who collect tadpoles after rain are often disappointed when they turn, not into frogs, but into toads! Most Queenslanders are used to toads sitting on pathways and lawns at night and we've become expert at having having to negotiate around them to get from the front or back door to the gate or to the rubbish bin or the clothes line.

This morning though I felt like a real 'squib'. I just couldn't face tipping the water and the toad out of the pot and run the risk of it jumping towards me...because I reckoned if it jumped towards me I'd have screamed! lol So I waited for DH to come home from golf. We both reckoned the toad was trapped and couldn't negotiate the slippery sides. It was like one of those wind up toy frogs that 'swim' for eternity in a bowl! :-) DH tipped the toad and water out and the toad hopped under the side veranda. I never did find out whether it was actually a prince under some sort of curse...




3 comments:

Claud said...

He, he, he...I would have been screaming bloody murder too. I'm glad your real price rescued you from the silly toad.

Humble wife said...

Oh no!!


It is surprising what man has introduced to resolve a problem that magnifies into a far greater problem!! In the south in the USA the Kudzu was introduced and it is growing at voracious rates.

Well I am glad your prince removed the *prince*= and that it was not a snake-ugh!!

Take care

Jennifer

Susan said...

Interesting facts about the cane toads Maria. Amazing how they've bred. I don't think I'd like to come face to face with one and chance it jumping at me... they definitely have an image problem :D)