the toadlet that time forgot

awwww, isn't he a cutie?

Toadlets are pretty standard fare in our garden. They start out as spawn about March-time, then they become tadpoles in  April, and in May/June they start to grow legs and eventually become toadlets, eventually becoming adult Toads. So in May and June, these toadlets are pretty standard fare. However, when you see one in MARCH, you know something weird is going on!...

These photos were taken on March 28th. I was checking under the tiles in our back garden, feeling pretty smug about having Slow Worms under them and getting some pretty awesome photos of them. Under one I also found an adult Toad. Fairly normal, they like to heat up under the tiles too. But then, checking the next one, I was rather surprised to find this very small toad!...

I can only assume it was a late-developer, and that it hadn't yet developed fully when the time came to hibernate. This idea would be supported by the fact that last year, for whatever reason, a lot of the tadpoles didn't develop at all, and stayed in the pond. They didn't last very long once winter arrived though. So this Toadlet was a lucky survivor, just developed enough that it wasn't forced to stay in the water with it's siblings when the inevitable cold arrived...

But what will happen to it now? I'm assuming it will still be able to cary on it's metamorphosis and become an adult Toad. Assuming it survives. Slow Worms and Grass Snakes are a lot more active at this time of year than in June as they are breeding themselves. And I'm sure they would find a Toadlet most scrumptious...

I suppose the one good thing is that, unlike Frogs, Toads don't mature until they are three or four years old. So if this little guy does survive, he'll at least have time to catch up with his buddies.