Attracting frogs and toads

Although most of Michigan's amphibians are small and secretive, with just a little effort you can create a haven for them in your own yard. Here are a few suggestions:

• Leave some leaf litter under your trees, shrubs and in the garden.
   
• Encourage native ground cover, grasses and wildflowers; a finely manicured lawn is attractive to people but not to most frogs and toads or other wildlife.
   
• Build a shallow pond that includes natural pond vegetation and rocks in and around. For more details call the number above.
   
• Erect a toad light. A toad light is a light that is set no higher than 3 feet and is placed near a border between a garden or rockery and a lawn area. The light attracts insects on which the toads feed at night.
   
• Try to discourage children and others from capturing and caging frogs and toads in your yard and elsewhere.
   
• Minimize the use of pesticides and fertilizers in the yard.

For more information, view the "Frogs, Turtles & Snakes" chapter in "Managing Michigan's Wildlife: A Landowner's Guide."