BLOG 4: Not Finding Snakes

Just a few days ago after a tremendous thunderstorm I decided to go with my friend to Tobyhanna State Park to see if we could find and photograph a ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus) which John Serrao (a big time Poconos naturalist) describes as “The most common snake in our region, but not often seen because of its secretive nature.”

We made our way to an area that seemed like prime snake habitat and started hunting around. We didn’t find any ring-necks but we did spot this beautiful little jewel!

Undeterred we continued to hike further along the trail to a location I was certain would produce one of these small, gentle serpents. We didn’t find any there either but we did run into this fellow! 

I could have sworn he reminded me of I guy I just met like 5 minutes ago!

After 2 failed attempts to track down Mr. D. punctatus I knew we would be successful at a secret spot along the woodland path that never let me down. Sure enough upon a very thorough investigation we finally turned up….

Yeah, one of these.

So…um…you know what, let’s just make this blog about this critter, OK? Honest, I’m not cutting any corners here or coping out. I’ll tell you some cool things about it, OK?

These are one of my all-time favorite salamanders in the Poconos. I posted one on my MySpace page years ago (anyone remember MySpace?) and friends thought I had used some fancy schmancy computer program to enhance its color.  That wasn’t the case then or now. This bright orange is completely natural and in the animal kingdom it warns other creatures “watch out I’m highly toxic!”  It’s a good system too because can you imagine the FDA going around trying to label each individual newt? I mean it’s a “newt” when it matures but the juveniles are salamanders. It’s a little complicated. All newts are salamanders but not all salamanders are newts and newts are semi- aquatic but don’t have gills but sometimes they do.  See? Clear as mud!

Let’s try this again. This radiant creature is a Red Eft. Red efts can be vermillion but are more often orange but are never called Orange efts for some reason. SO much for clarity!  

The eft is one of the three stages in the life the Eastern Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens).  Adult red-spotteds are olive green above and yellow bellow with small red spots (what else!?) running down their sides. They are typically about 4 inches long.  N. viridescens is probably one of the most common amphibians in this region of North America and are the ones most seen in pet shops along with African Clawed Frogs and Fire-bellied toads and all those other cool things they don’t usually tell you enough about caring for.

Here’s a wild red-spotted newt I photographed back in April at Slateford Pond in Mt. Bethel PA.

Red efts are the juvenile, terrestrial, form of the red-spotted newts. After two or three years, the eft returns to the water and morphs into a green and yellow adult. James Petranka notes in “Salamanders of the United States and Canada” that, “Efts in coastal populations are less brightly colored than those in mountainous areas. “ That could be why the ones we uncounted were so vivid! Hey, It IS the Pocono Mountains and Tobyhanna’s at 1,568 ft (478 m).

There is also a larval stage to the Red-spotteds that lasts about 3 months.  (“Larval” doesn’t that sound endearing? Note the sarcasm) These hatchlings are yellowish green,  grow to an inch and a half in length, have gills, and I have never photographed one so don’t bother searching for the picture.

I personally prefer to describe all these stages as “baby newt”  “Teen Eft” and “Adult Newt.” Simple right? But what do I know…I’m just some guy in PA writing a BLOG.

So what else can I tell you about red efts won’t bore you into a coma?  You can Google these things to your heart’s content so I rather not post a bunch of information here you can find anywhere else. I just wanted to show you how attractive and cool these things were!

And I do want to stress  to you and him and even her, these creatures are absolutely harmless! Unless you’re planning to go all Asian food market on one and pop it down the hatch (and I seriously recommend you don’t) they are no threat to anyone whatsoever.  If you see a red-eft take some pics, write a corny blog maybe and let it go on its merry way.

Well that’s all I have for now! Thanks again for reading Keiran’s Critters! Tell your friends about this blog for some reason and as always I welcome any and all feedback questions comments and effusive accolades.

See you next time!