What's the difference between toads and frogs?

Frogs and toads are related, but they're not exactly alike. Frogs have smooth, slick skin, while toads have warty, bumpy skin (by the way, you can't get warts by touching a toad!).

Toads can handle dry conditions better than frogs. And while frogs leap away to escape danger, toads are protected by their camouflage colors and by skin secretions called bufotoxins. These secretions are stored in the toad's parotid glands, which look like swollen bumps on their heads. If caught, a toad will likely puff itself up with air, urinate, and secrete these bufotoxins in an effort to get dropped. Neither the toxin nor the urine is harmful to humans (unless ingested).

Farmers and gardeners like to see toads, because toads eat many types of insects and insect larvae, as well as spiders, centipedes, millipedes, snails, slugs and earthworms. If you want to attract toads to your garden, provide a moist hiding place such as an inverted plant holder. Avoid using garden chemicals, and put out a large pan full of water in April.