Night of the Spadefoot

Eastern Spadefoots are an unusual toad that spend most of their lives underground, emerging only during the breeding season in late spring on very rainy nights.  This spadefoot was found in a pool in Owings (North Beach, CW after the thunderstorms of last evening.  Several of our seventh grade classes have reported spadefoots from different locations in the county.

Eastern Spadefoot found in North Beach, CW

Note the elliptical pupils on the Spadefoot's eyes.

The small crescent shaped black structure or "spade"on the hind foot is used for digging.