05/13/2026
Not all backyard visitors are created equal, and on the Treasure Coast, knowing the difference between a native neighbor and an invasive intruder is a vital skill for every homeowner. 🐸
Our native Southern Toad and the invasive Cane Toad might look like twins at first glance, but they play very different roles in our local environment.
👍 The Native Southern Toad
Our native Southern Toad is a helpful resident that has lived in Florida for thousands of years. These toads are excellent for your garden, spending their nights eating the beetles, roaches, and snails that can damage your plants.
You can identify them by looking for two distinct, bony ridges on top of their head that end in small "k***s" right between their eyes. They generally stay small, rarely growing larger than three or four inches in length.
👎 The Invasive Cane Toad
The Cane Toad (also known as the Bufo toad) is an invasive species that poses a significant threat to our local ecosystem and our pets. They carry a potent toxin in glands on their shoulders that can be fatal to dogs or cats that try to bite or play with them.
Cane Toads do not have ridges or k***s between their eyes. Instead, look for large, triangular glands on their shoulders that look like swollen, tilted pillows. They also grow much larger than our native toads, often over 6 inches, and sometimes reaching the size of a dinner plate.
Being a good steward of the Treasure Coast means looking out for our native wildlife while keeping an eye on the intruders. Have you noticed any of these toads in your neighborhood after the recent rains?
