This pictured toad has been living for the last few months in one of our greenhouses. When we walk by it on the wooden walkways we have between rows of vats, it simply hunkers down and waits for us to leave. This is a young toad, about 2.5 inches long; large adults are twice the size. We have ... Read More
greenhouse fauna
Red Eared Slider Turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans
One day recently while going to our greenhouses, I found a young Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) walking across our gravel parking lot. The parking lot is not a hospitable environment for terrapins, which are mostly aquatic. This one had gotten disoriented after hatching and was headed ... Read More
Green Treefrog
That is a Green Treefrog peering from an old chain-link fence post in our yard. The frog likes it because it holds water making a nice damp home. We have four species of tree frogs on the farm. The Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea) is the most common. The other three are Squirrel Treefrog (H. ... Read More
Texas Garter Snake
The Texas Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectens) is one of the three snakes that have established breeding populations in our greenhouses. All three species (the other two are water snakes) share a common characteristic: they are livebearers. Since there is no sand or soil in our greenhouses ... Read More