Common Toad Bufo bufo

The Common Toad, also called the European Toad, is an amphibian. It is well camouflaged in its usual muddy habitat. Toads' skins are far more warty and less smooth than those of frogs. The Common Toad is found throughout most of Europe, excluding several islands (and Ireland), and parts of north-western Asia. As an adult it is mainly land-based, solitary and mainly nocturnal.

Unlike frogs, toads tend to prefer to crawl rather than to jump. They have glands on their back which produce a mild toxin which is distasteful to most predators.

Toadlets are tiny when they first evolve from the tadpole and emerge from the water.

Unlike frogspawn, toadspawn is laid in long tubes. Also called toad spawn (2 words), the eggs hatch to tadpoles. (Third photo above by Martin Starnes.)