Herpwatch McHenry County

Frogs and toads offer humans an enormous number of free services which make our lives more comfortable. By consuming an extraordinary amount of pest insects, these amphibians make experiencing the great outdoors more enjoyable, and safer too. Many of the insects consumed by frogs and toads carry diseases, such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease. Frogs and toads are also an important food source for many other animals including birds, mammals, fish, and even other amphibians and reptiles. By helping to feed other animals, nature is kept diverse.

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Salamanders are similarly important to frogs and toads by consuming large numbers of invertebrates. They may be hard to find, but salamanders are the most abundant vertebrate species in woodland habitats. Because of this, they also play a key role in controlling global warming. The organisms salamanders eat consume leaf litter in forests. When this leaf litter is consumed, carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse gas buildup. When salamanders eat these organisms before they consume fallen leaves, carbon is retained within the forest as opposed to ending up in the atmosphere. This process is also important for the maintenance of soil nutrients within forests.

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Turtles, like frogs, toads, and salamanders, eat a great number of invertebrates. Since turtles are aquatic, many mosquito larvae are consumed before they can even metamorphose into flying summer pests. Turtles are also great at keeping our outdoors clean. Some species are scavengers, eating roadkill before it can harbor diseases and stink-up our roadways. Turtles also help to maintain habitats by distributing seeds through feces, and planting sprouts which can travel on turtle shells.

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Snakes may be the least popular, yet are incredibly beneficial to humans. They are able to consume pest species that frogs, toads, salamanders, and turtles are not able to. Mice, rats, voles, and other small mammals can destroy man made structures, eat gardens, contaminate food, and carry disease. Snakes are able to keep populations of these small furry pests in check, taking the work off of our hands. Snakes, like frogs and toads, also act as an important source of food for larger predators, like birds of prey. As a food source to other animals, snakes help to keep the local animal world diverse.

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Aside from all of these functional benefits, these animals are great subjects of photography, display beauitful colors, fill the air with musical calls, and are just fun to observe! What are some ways reptiles and amphibians have positively affected your life? Let us know so we can share your experiences!