This past Sunday was a night of massive Salamander migration. Every spring when the temperature is above 40 degrees and it rains, the spotted salamanders leave there underground spots in the woods and migrate to vernal pools in the woods near them.  Vernal pools are basically water in depressions in the woods that dry up in the summer. The salamanders go to these spots to court and lay eggs in the water, attached to a stick. These salamanders belong to a group of salamanders known as “mole salamanders”. This is because they spend much of their lives underground. 

What a night it turned out to be. In four hours I saw countless dozens of spotted salamanders, Three marbled salamanders and a couple eastern redback salamanders as well as several types of frogs. Numerous egg clusters could be seen in the water. Salamanders swimming about and the redbacks, marbled and one spotted being found on my road. Sadly, another spotted salamander was hit by a car as well as hundreds of frogs.

It is amazing that these amphibians know to head to these pools every spring to perpetuate the species. If you have an interest in this, you can probably see some at the vernal pools on warmer nights for the next couple weeks. You will need a flashlight and try and stay out of the water.  Also, unless its to get one out of the road, don’t pick them up as their skin will absorb what is on your hands. Bug spray as an example is a definite no no for handling these guys.  I hope you get to see some! They are tricky to photograph at night, in the rain.

  Such a wonderful example of Gods creative hand in the complex world of Amphibians.