I really won't be able to determine if it's a new species until I capture a few and see if they grow beyond the size that I have seen them.

Pointed nose and narrow abdomen. They would be a woodland frog or toad that are specific to this location. Pine and Florida oak. They would live in the mulch beds. Though, it's habitat that is quickly dwindling. I am surprised if it's a new species that has been overlooked, when we have UCF just a few miles away.

Some the of the species there are not found outside that region and are under threat from loss of habitat.

Here is a good list of Florida frogs & toads: http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/frogs/central.shtml . Problem is, even if it is a known species but you're seeing immature ones, it can be hard to find good photos.

I know when I was growing up in Bartow we'd see tiny little toads about the size of a finger tip in the leaf litter. That area is part of the Lake Wales Ridge and before the phosphate companies mined out much of the land and development took a lot of the rest of it, it was very much the same habitat as you are probably in. I never did identify what kind of toads those were. My oldest sister might have known - she was quit the nature student and very much into biology from a young age - but she's been gone for over twenty years.

If you identify your toads - or get a photo - let us know!

My macro wouldn't do a great job. But, I think you stated my dilemma perfectly: "Problem is, even if it is a known species but you're seeing immature ones, it can be hard to find good photos."

The only way I will know is if I capture a few and see if I can keep them alive in a controlled environment. If they grow, then I know they are an immature variety.

This area is known for its gopher turtles, but people aren't really doing much to protect them. Just witnessed a habit ploughed over the other day. I don't know why people didn't stop to think that the same gopher turtles that dig their holes out in the open along the sidewalks in this area wouldn't prefer a quieter, more secluded environment. You would think that most Florida natives would be able to recognize the signature of gopher turtle burrows.

The Wikihow I posted might help you take care of them if you can catch one or two: http://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Wild-Southern-Toads

We used to have gopher tortoises here on my farm but they dug their burrows along the road. When the county paved our road, I warned them about the gophers. They did nothing to save them. It really pissed me off.

But these little guys are teeny tiny.

For example:

If you think this frog is little (about ½” to 1-1/4” long) you should see its babies which hatch as tiny “froglets” from the eggs mama frog lays. This is one of the few frogs that do not have a tadpole stage; instead they hatch out as mini-frogs that look just like their parents, only much, much smaller and with a tail which is eventually lost as it matures.

I found this little frog after moving my hose holder. It was hiding in the wet soil underneath it. Greenhouse Frogs are mostly terrestrial and nocturnal, seeking shelter by day beneath boards, leaves, trash, or other debris where there is moisture. The water filled cups of bromeliads are also a popular hiding spot for these frogs. Their call is a faint, musical, insect-like chirp and they may be heard calling at night or during rains usually from April to September in Florida.


Greenhouse Frogs breed from May to September in Florida. The female Greenhouse Frog typically lays between 19 and 25 eggs which are attended by the female. Greenhouse Frogs deposit their eggs on land, under damp vegetation or debris, where close to 100% humidity is maintained. Hatching takes place approximately 13 days afterwards

I didn't see a tail on the one I inspected today. Again, it was only 2 centimeters large.

Are small as adults. Just a bit more than an inch and vary in colors - with browns, reds, and blacks. They're the smallest frogs I regularly see in the Tampa Bay area.

I'll be interested to see a picture of what you found down the line

Then i will disturb the soil in spring to look for one. Also plan to get relocate the brown lizards to give the frogs/toad a better chance of survival.

Does it play jazz banjo by any chance?