Greeneralia home
- Connecting Ant to Ant and Bee to Bee
Greeneralia home
Everything depends on the weather. As we all know, spring arrives stutteringly rather than steadily, and winter is reluctant to loosen its grip. Toads are well aware of this. Though cold-blooded, their metabolism slows down during hibernation, and it is only when the temperature rises that their hearts start to beat a little faster, and the thought occurs to them of leaving their snug places of hibernation. When it is frosty or snowy, or an east wind is blowing, they stay where they are. What irresistibly l
When they do come out however, it is in their thousands, and all over the country: not for nothing are they known as The Common Toad . Though, like frogs and newts, they are amphibians, they spend their adult lives on dry land, and only seek out water to breed and spawn: not a fast-flowing stream or river but the village pond, a large garden pond, the shallow edges of a lake, or something of the kind. And on such stretches of water – the same ones, year after year – they converge from every direction. How t
The peril for Bufo bufo is that between their places of hibernation and the pieces of water they are heading for there is in many cases a road to be crossed. They are, of course, not aware of their peril, and are in no hurry to complete the crossing. On the contrary. The smooth and open expanse of a road enables them to see each other: in fact, having taken up their position, they raise themselves up as high as they can so they can see further. If a male spots the somewhat larger female he will set off towa
Greeneralia home
- Connecting Ant to Ant and Bee to Bee
Greeneralia home