Fowler's Toad (on bolete)

Description:

I found this Fowler's Toad in some woods during the daytime during a hard rain were I have been keeping an eye on some species of mushrooms that grow there. They are usually very hard to spot on the forest floor due to their coloration. There are some conflicting opinions about this species behavior. One source says that this type of toad is nocturnal. Another source says that Fowler's toad is mostly active during the day, except hot days or very cold days when it will burrow into the ground. Both agree on how A. fowleri reacts to predators and the defenses they use to protect themselves. One defensive behavior it will use is its coloration to blend into its surroundings. These toads are able to do this because they tend to have coloration that is more natural, or earth toned. Another defense includes a noxious secretion that comes from the large warts on their backs. If attacked, this secretion will irritate the predator's mouth and, if ingested, can be poisonous to smaller mammals. If roughly handled, A. fowleri will also lie still on their backs and play dead.

Habitat:

Deciduous woodland near forest edge.

Notes:

Shown here on an "Ornate-stalked Bolete" mushroom.