How to Get Rid of Cane Toads

Beware as these aren’t your average backyard toads. Cane toads are highly toxic and pose a threat to you your pets and local Wildlife.

However, in this article, you will go over some essential tips and pest control products that you can use to keep cane toads off your property. 

 

Do You Know?

Cane toads can secrete a corrosive toxin during all stages of their life cycle from egg to adult in order to control these toads and keep them off your property.

We are not exaggerating when we say cane toads are extremely dangerous to both humans and animals.

You will use a combination of Integrated Pest Management or IPM and regular pest control to ensure, your lawn remains an unsuitable habitat for cane toads.

Keep in mind that our tips won’t just kill the cane toads. Instead, It is going to take care of their source, giving them no reason to hunt on your property.

 

Read also: What Do Toad Poop Look Like? Toad Poop Identification

 

How to Identify Cane Toads

When planning a pest control strategy, the first thing you should do is identify the exact pest you are dealing with.

Careless identification can lead to the wrong treatment methods which will cost you time and money.

It’s especially important to distinguish cane toads from other native known species.

Many homeowners regard native frogs and toads as beneficial animals anyway, so if they eat many pest insects around your lawn.

Cane toads are the opposite of beneficial because not only will they eat insects. They will also eat native frogs other toads, snakes, or any other animal that will fit in their mouth.

Cane toads are the largest true toad in the world with most adults growing to about six to nine inches in length, many toes won’t grow any larger than about three inches.

Cane toads have dry bumpy skin that can range in color from gray to brown. Males have a more yellowish tone while females have to be darker.

Cane toads have hard prominent ridges that join that the snout and most importantly, they have large triangular glands behind their eardrums and above their shoulders.

These glands produce toxins when the toad is either mishandled or threatened. So be careful if you spot any cane toad around your property.

 

Read also: What is a Group of Frogs Called?

 

Cane Toad Picture

Below is a picture of cane toads.

 

Read also: How to Get Rid of Bats Easily

 

How Do I Find Cane Toads?

Once, you know what the pest looks like, check around your property to confirm their presence or find their hideout or activity.

Cane toads are nocturnal, when you start your inspection, be sure to do it outside around nighttime. As that is when they are most active.

You’re going to be looking for the cane toads themselves or what’s attracting them. Be sure to note how and why cane toads are on your property.

Like all toads need a moist environment to survive same is the cane toads. If there aren’t any obvious bodies of water on your property, then there may be parts.

If your lawn holds excessive moisture after rain or irrigation or there may be sources of stagnant water after rain or an unused uncovered pool, ensure you eliminate them.

Be sure to note potential hiding places like underneath the yard, debris, leaf litter, and woodpiles.

Check your fence for any holes or openings that may allow toads to invade. Also, note if you have any patio lights, since these may attract insects, cane toads will prey upon.

 

Read also: Common Fall Pests and How to Get Rid of Them

 

How to Get Rid of Cane Toads With Pesticides

It’s time to get rid of the cane toads before starting any treatment, ensure to wear your personal protective equipment or PPE, and remember to keep all people and pets off the treated areas until dry.

 

Get the Square Footage

First, calculate your treatment area’s square footage by measuring the area is length and width, and then multiplying them together.

You’ll use this to determine how much product you need to use to keep cane toads away from your property.

 

Apply Pest Control Products 

You are going to use pesticide products to treat their food sources. The first is a granular product called Bifen L/P.

Bifen L/P Granular

Bifen L/P is a granular insecticide that’s labeled to control a wide variety of insects for up to 90 days.

We recommend you apply this product with a push spreader to make this application over your entire lawn faster on a residential lawn.

Steps

• Apply the Bifen L/P at a rate of 2.3 pounds per 1,000 square feet of the treatment area.
• Spread your spreader with a proper amount of Bifen L/P based on the size of your treatment area.
• Evenly distribute the granules, broadcast half your granules in parallel lines once across the area, but then broadcast the other half at an angle to cover the area and its entirety.
• Once you finish your Bifen L/P application. It will need to be watered in too. This will help the granules push down to the soil level.

 

Reclaim IT

Reclaim IT is a bifenthrin liquid insecticide concentrate that is labeled the treat over 70 different insect pests for up to 90 days.

Reclaim IT is a liquid concentrate. So we recommend using this alongside a 20-gallon hose-end sprayer so it can mix with water and be applied at a high volume rate to control most insects on your lawn.

Steps

• Apply the product at a rate of 1 fluid ounce per thousand square feet. To use the 20-gallon hose-end sprayer, remove the reservoir from the nozzle.
• Make sure the sprayers control valve and your water pump are off, then attach the nozzle to the hose.
• Add the proper amount of Reclaim IT based on the sides of your treatment area.
• Fill the reservoir with enough water to treat the entire lawn to make sure you thoroughly coat the area and water in the pipe.
• Use at least two gallons of water per 1,000 square feet of the treatment area.
• Double-check to make sure your control valve and water pump are still off then attach the reservoir.
• Once you’ve ensured a tight connection, you can now turn the water on to spray.

Note: This is all an effort to effectively control the insects that the cane toads feed on. If you remove their food source, they have nothing to do with your property.

Once you have finished with your Reclaim IT application, be sure to postpone any regular irrigation or mowing for at least 24 hours.

Also, before applying make sure you apply on a calm day when wind speeds are low to minimize drift.

 

How to Get Rid of Cane Toads Naturally

Even after you have applied pesticides, the best way to stop pest activity is to make sure it can’t reinfest and natural steps will do best.

• The first thing you can do is address the moisture levels of your property.
• Constantly rake and aerate your lawn to improve the soil’s drainage.
• Pick up debris, or you can trim back any overhanging tree branches to reduce shade and encourage water evaporation.
• If you keep man-made sources of standing water, like birdbaths, drain them when they’re not in use.
• If you have a pool, keep it covered to prevent any toads or insects from infesting the water by reducing your lawn and properties.
• Low moisture levels will make the area less suitable for cane toads, and they will go somewhere else.
• If you have any outdoor lighting, you may want to consider turning them off at night. Outdoor patio lights attract insects, which cane toads will feed on.
• Once you have noticed a significant reduction in cane toad activity, repair any holes in your fences that may have allowed them to enter in the first place.
• You can do this with regular repairs or find Copper mesh.

 

Conclusion

Finally, just like during summer, there are cane toads that can attack your property. There are many things you can do to prevent them as well.

Following up on these DIY guides on how to get rid of cane toads on your lawn, you will be able to control and prevent these toads from infesting further. Feel free to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated with our latest DIY pest control guide.

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