Herps!

[mafief]

In college, I took a herpetology class in the spring. The timing is important because that is when most of the amphibians in PA are doing something interesting instead of hiding. During the warm spring rains, salamanders and frogs come out en masse and breed. Thus, I spent my evenings in my rain jacket either walking up and down roads with a flashlight or hiking through the woods (with friends) to vernal pools (small ponds that flood in the spring and disappear by mid-summer).

During one adventure to a vernal pool in the dark, in the rain, in the woods, we saw hundreds of spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum). They were everywhere and it was an amazing sight to witness. In the water they would form these mating balls where the males would try to be the first one to grab a female with its back legs. Sometimes, the males are overly eager and drown the female in the process. (Side note: Some Ambystoma species don’t even need males. Two females can go through the process of mating but not actually exchange sperm and still lay viable eggs.)

I haven’t been able to figure out the timing to catch the great migration in NH nor do I have a good idea what pools are active. Last summer, I spent time scouting out the area for vernal pools to visit during the spring to hopefully catch this activity. I’ve done better and contacted the campus herpetologist and made plans. During the first warm (40F +) rains, I took the kids out (at 8:30 pm! In the woods! In the rain! In the dark!) to try and see this event. The first pool we went to only had Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus). You can hear their call here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_frog).

This was fine, disappointing, but fine because it gave me a chance to discuss the process of science and field biology with Mr Five. He told me once that he wanted to be a scientist, so part of that is explaining how much scientist fail and what to do when that happens.

We had to wait for our next attempt because the weather was silly and it decided to snow a few days after. Next warm rain, we visited another pool. This one included a hike up a rather steep incline (In the woods! In the rain! In the dark!) to reach three pools. This is also when my husband thinks I’m partially insane for taking children into this. I’ll disagree, but that’s another story. The part that excited Mr Three the most was holding his own flashlight.

This time we did better, but still no spotted salamanders. We saw wood frogs, spring peepers (Hyla crucifer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_peeper), a green frog (Lithobates clamitans), and redback salamanders (Plethodon cinereus). There was a large pond at the base of the hill we were on and the sound the spring peepers were making was deafening. For a frog that is about an inch long, they are super loud. Redbacks are extremely common, but the boys were excited that they saw a salamander that they didn’t care that it wasn’t a spotted. (Side note: redbacks don’t have lungs and breathe through their skin.)



The most exciting part of this trip, at least for me, was seeing the two redback salamanders above (bottom pic). I spotted two salamanders twisting around each other as they tumbled down the path. When we got closer, they froze and I was able to snap the picture above. What is hard to make out is that the smaller salamander has the larger one’s foot in its mouth. This behavior is new to me, and I’m not entirely sure if they are mating or fighting. Redbacks that need to mate around this time (female store sperm for over a year and lay eggs under a log on land) and the males are territorial. My other outdoor biologist friends had no idea. Mr Five asked if the salamanders were married and… I chickened out and said sure. So, he described to a group of church friends that he saw two salamanders ‘marriaged’. I’ll correct that later…

We are planning a guided vernal pool trip with this weekend, so hopefully I can get more connections to find better pools for next year.

So that’s what I’ve been up to! So yah, Come for the random things this scientist does, stay for the… salamander fighting/mating????

Comments

[smallhobbit]

I think it's great you're giving your boys the opportunity to see so many new things. And having things for them to be excited about, even if they weren't very unusual as far as you were concerned. Surely being excited about things is also what being a scientist involves.

I am very happy for the two marriaged salamanders, and hope they have long and happy lives - whether together or apart :)

[mafief]

I spent a great deal of time as a kid outside playing with frogs and salamanders. It’s something I’m enjoying sharing with my kids and I’m excited that they are into playing outside and with the crittersr as well.

Yes, you are right. Excitement and curiosity are vital qualities in a scientist and thank you for reminding me (I forget when I’m being grumpy at science). There were very different goals for the adventures from the different participants. The boys were excited being out way past their bedtime, playing with flashlights, and finding worms. There were so many worms and I think we may have stopped to look at every single one. If that is all that happened, they would have been thrilled. J was just happy no one died and we got home safe (he’s very protective).

Hehe, oh marriaged salamanders :)

[scfrankles]

It sounds like your boys had a couple of wonderful adventures. The part that excited Mr Three the most was holding his own flashlight. The thrill has abated over the years but I can absolutely understand that ^___^ It's so lovely that Mr Five and Mr Three are still at the stage where everything is new and exciting. (I can remember taking my nephews on a small field trip down the road to look at some secondhand AA vans at the local car dealership ^___^ My older nephew went through a brief obsession with the AA (Automobile Association) - we'd play at cars breaking down and then he'd turn up in his van and check the vehicle over. But I digress ^_^)

I love your photographs. It is a shame you didn't get to see the spotted salamanders this time but how interesting to spot a new kind of behaviour.

[mafief]

Aw, that is a sweet memory. You were totally the best Auntie for taking them on that trip. :) I had to look it up, but the AA vans are very distinctive.

Boys had fun and I’ll figure out what new types of mischief I can get us into later.

I’m impressed the photographs came out so well; there was no light except the flashlights and I took the pics with my iPhone.