Detours Expected For Toad Crossing In City's Roxborough Section

By Robin Culverwell

UPPER ROXBOROUGH, Pa. (CBS) - The annual migration of toads across several roads in Upper Roxborough could be happening any day, late by some measures, but exciting to all who wait and watch.

So why did the toad cross the road?

"To get into water, find other toads, mate, lay eggs and go back into the forest!" says Mike Weilbacher, executive director of the Schuylkill Center.

He says every year dozens of volunteers wait and watch the forecast for several warm days and a then a rainy night; that's when these toads decide it's time to head from the woods where they hibernated all winter to the old reservoir to find a mate.

The migration has gone on for years, but the road closures are a more recent addition.

"My concern is that when it finally rains and it's warm it's gonna be like this epic crossing!" says Weilbacher.

The crossings go on for several evenings and then six weeks later the little toadlets, small enough to sit on a dime, go back from the reservoir to the forest because they're ready to eat bugs.

Volunteers are ready and waiting to help the toads cross the road and that means detours in Upper Roxborough.