Ohio Reptiles and Amphibians, 2018
Here are some reptiles, amphibians, and a few other things that I observed
in southeastern Ohio in 2018, in mostly chronological order.
The night on February 14 provide some rain and it was also reasonable
warm (around 52 F at sunset). Some amphibians were seen moving.
![](spotsal_14feb18_1b.jpg)
A Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) out and about.
Several of these were seen.
![](barbouri_14feb18_1b.jpg)
A Streamside Salamander (Ambystoma barbouri). We visited one of the
few places in southeast Ohio where this species occurs.
![](crayfish_14feb18_1b.jpg)
A large crayfish (Cambarus bartonii cavatus) seen crossing the road.
![](crayfish_14feb18_2a.jpg)
A closer look. It is a mother carrying her babies (instars) under her tail.
![](barbouri_14feb18_2b.jpg)
A young Streamside Salamander (Ambystoma barbouri).
![](peeper_14feb18b.jpg)
A Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer).
![](woodfrog_14feb18b.jpg)
The only Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) of the night.
![](barbouri_14feb18_3b.jpg)
Another young Streamside Salamander (Ambystoma barbouri).
![](spotsal_14feb18_2b.jpg)
A young Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum).
The conditions the next night were similar, but a bit warmer.
![](spotsal_15feb18_1b.jpg)
A Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). This is only the
the second one I've seen in Ohio that has orange spots on the side
of its head. The other one I saw in 2008 and was only about five miles
from where this one was found.
![](jeffersons_15feb18_1b.jpg)
A Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum).
![](woodfrog_15feb18_1b.jpg)
A Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica). Several off these were seen and they
were calling in one location.
![](jeffersons_15feb18_2b.jpg)
A Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) observed crossing the
double yellow lines.
![](woodfrog_15feb18_4b.jpg)
Another Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica). I bet this one is a female that
is full of eggs.
![](spotsal_15feb18_3b.jpg)
A Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum).
![](texanum_15feb18b.jpg)
A Smallmouth Salamander (Ambystoma texanum).
This animal was photographed in a driving rain. There was so much
water you can see a meniscus connecting its chin to the road --
and the salamander was on the move when the photo was taken!
We only saw one of these, at a location near the glacial boundary.
![](triseriata_15feb18b.jpg)
A Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata).
![](eggs_25feb18b.jpg)
Wood Frog eggs (Rana sylvatica), observed in the small pond in
our front yard on February 25.
![](fourtoed_28feb18b.jpg)
A quick photo of a couple of mommy Four-toed Salamanders
(Hemidactylium scutatum) and their nest that I saw on
February 28. This makes two years in a row that I have observed this in
February in SE Ohio. Must be global warming...
![](enewt_04mar18_1b.jpg)
Eastern Newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) snacking on Ambystoma eggs.
![](habitat_04mar18b.jpg)
A ridgetop pond.
![](toad-eggs_04mar18b.jpg)
Toad eggs seen in a roadside ditch on March 4 -- crazy early.
I assume they are American Toads (to be).
![](brachyphona_04mar18_2b.jpg)
A Mountain Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brachyphona).
![](marbled_04mar18_1b.jpg)
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) larvae.
![](marbled_04mar18_2b.jpg)
A closer look at one of the larvae.
![](tunnel_04mar18b.jpg)
This southeast Ohio railroad tunnel was abandoned in 1916.
Kinda puts you in your place.
![](montanus_04mar18_1b.jpg)
A Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus) larva.
![](montanus_04mar18_2b.jpg)
A closer look at the larva.
![](slimy_30mar18b.jpg)
A Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus), as found under
a rock on March 30. In my experience, this is very early in the season to
be seeing this species around here.
![](enewt_30mar18b.jpg)
An Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens), eft stage, found
crawling on the forest floor.
![](habitat_30mar18_1b.jpg)
An abandoned strip-mine pond. Interestingly, Four-toed Salamanders
(Hemidactylium scutatum), Spotted Salamanders
(Ambystoma maculatum), and Wood Frogs (Rana sylvatica)
breed here.
![](habitat_30mar18_2b.jpg)
A waterfall on a small creek. It was flowing pretty well on this
day (30 March), due to all of the rain we had recently.
![](habitat_01apr18_1b.jpg)
Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus) habitat,
a small pool in the floodplain of a creek.
This is after I dipnetted it. Planted my flag. Two larvae were found here.
![](montanus_01apr18_2b.jpg)
The larvae. They will morph in a month or two.
![](montanus_01apr18_3b.jpg)
A closer look at one of them.
![](montanus_01apr18_4b.jpg)
A hatchling Mud Salamander larva (Pseudotriton montanus) found nearby.
![](habitat_01apr18_3b.jpg)
More Mud Salamander habitat. Two Mud Salamander larvae and one
Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera) larva were
found here.
![](twoline_01apr18b.jpg)
The Southern Two-lined Salamander larva.
![](larvae_08apr18_1b.jpg)
Some more larvae, from another area. The big one is a
Southern Two-lined Salamander and the smaller ones are
Long-tailed Salamander larvae (Eurycea longicauda).
![](longicauda_08apr18_1b.jpg)
A Long-tailed Salamander larvae.
![](larvae_08apr18_2b.jpg)
The darker larva is a young Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber);
the smaller one is a Long-tailed Salamander.
![](ruber_08apr18_1b.jpg)
A large Red Salamander larva.
![](ruber_08apr18_3b.jpg)
A small Red Salamander.
![](longicauda_08apr18_2b.jpg)
A Long-tailed Salamander larvae.
![](habitat_08apr18_2b.jpg)
A spring perched on a hillside. The shallow pool is home to
Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) larvae.
![](ruber_08apr18_4b.jpg)
A large Red Salamander larva from the pool.
![](ruber_08apr18_5b.jpg)
A closer look.
![](spotsal_08apr18_1b.jpg)
A Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) larva.
![](spotsal_08apr18_2b.jpg)
Another Spotted Salamander larva.
![](fourtoed_10ap18b.jpg)
A Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) with eggs found
under moss.
![](nigra_12apr18b.jpg)
My first snake of the year, a Black Kingsnake
(Lampropeltis getula nigra), found on April 12.
![](blackrat_14apr18_1b.jpg)
Hiking in the woods a couple of days later, I walked up on this.
Gotta wonder how many times I just walk by situations like this...
A Black Ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta) next to a log, as found.
It was not a warm day, temps were in the 50s.
![](blackrat_14apr18_3b.jpg)
A closer look at the Black Ratsnake.
![](ambystoma_17apr18b.jpg)
A Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) larva, just about
ready to hatch.
![](montanus_22apr18_1b.jpg)
A hatchling Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus) larva.
![](habitat_22apr18b.jpg)
Ryan Wagner and I visited a Mud Salamander spot that I had not been to in
nearly 11 years.
See
this report
from when Jason Folt and I found this spot.
This year, it still looks the same. We saw a bunch of larvae, but no adults.
This pool is also depicted in Figure 21-11 of Amphibians of Ohio.
![](montanus_22apr18_2b.jpg)
Two of the Mud Salamander larvae.
![](montanus_22apr18_3b.jpg)
Another look at larvae.
![](montanus_22apr18_4b.jpg)
All of the Mud Salamander larvae we found at this spot.
No other salamander species were seen here.
![](salamanders_22apr18_1b.jpg)
Nearby, we found a spot where a spring feeds into a lake.
Dipnetting yielded the following:
a Red Salamander larva (Pseudotriton ruber),
several Two-lined Salamander larvae (Eurycea cirrigera),
Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), and
Mosquito Fish (Gambusia affinis).
A strange cast of characters to find together, at least in my experience.
![](green-sunfish_22apr18b.jpg)
A Green Sunfish.
![](gambusia_22apr18b.jpg)
A Mosquito Fish.
![](pickerel_22apr18b.jpg)
This Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris) was seen in the vicinity.
![](montanus_22apr18_5b.jpg)
As was this Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus) larva.
![](trout-lily_22apr18b.jpg)
A Trout Lily.
![](nigra_22apr18_2b.jpg)
A fairly large Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra).
![](wildlife-tree-23apr18b.jpg)
A small sign seen on a tree in an obscure part of the National Forest.
I like how the growth of the tree pulled the nail out of the
upper right corner.
Failed the test of time. The style screams 1970s.
![](turkey-eggs_23apr18b.jpg)
I walked up on this turkey nest one day. The mother turkey flushed when
I was just a few feet away. Definitely makes your heart skip a beat...
even though it's happened to me several times over the years.
![](painted_06may18b.jpg)
A Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) found crossing the road.
The long claws indicate that it is a male -- Edward Scissorhands...
![](coluber_06may18b.jpg)
A Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) up in a tree. I initially
saw it on the grounds, but when I spooked it, it went up a tree.
It was about 12 feet or so up, and didn't seem to mind my presence
any more.
![](springsal_12may18_2b.jpg)
A Kentucky Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi)
larva. This was from west of the Scioto River -- not quite southeat Ohio.
![](painted_17may18_2b.jpg)
I helped a bunch of high school sophomores with a bioblitz event in May.
This little Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) was one of the stars
of the show. Baby animals have a “cuteness” factor and turtles
are no exception.
![](blackrat_20may18b.jpg)
A Black Ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta) that I found crossing the road.
![](coluber_20may18_1b.jpg)
A Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) that I found crossing the road.
I was able to catch this one, which doesn't usually happen, especially when
I am by myself.
![](nigra_20may18_2b.jpg)
A Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra), as found under cover.
![](coluber_20may18_2b.jpg)
A Black Racer (Coluber constrictor), in pre-shed condition.
![](nigra_02jun18_1b.jpg)
A Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra), as found under cover.
![](milk_02jun18_2b.jpg)
A pair of Milksnakes (Lampropeltis triangulum), almost
as found under a board.
![](worm_02jun18b.jpg)
A Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus), as found between folds of carpet.
It always amazes me how white/grey they can be when deep in shed.
![](nigra_02jun18_2b.jpg)
A Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra) found under a board.
This one was very defensive.
![](nigra_02jun18_3b.jpg)
A Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra), as found under carpet.
It is in pre-shed condition.
![](redbellied_06jun18_1b.jpg)
A Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata). This is a species that
I do not see very often. So, needless to say, I was very happy to see it.
![](redbellied_06jun18_2b.jpg)
The reason for the name...
![](redbellied_06jun18_3b.jpg)
A closer look.
![](snapper_17jun18_1c.jpg)
A sub-adult Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) I saw on campus.
When I drove past it was on the sidewalk. By the time I stopped and walked
back it was well into the road. I moved it to the pond it was heading towards.
Fortunately, it was Sunday morning and traffic was nil.
![](snapper_17jun18_2d.jpg)
A closer look.
![](valeriae_24jun18_1b.jpg)
A Smooth Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae).
![](valeriae_24jun18_2b.jpg)
A closer look.
![](redbellied_24jun18_1b.jpg)
Another Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata).
Two in one year makes this a banner year for them.
This photo show it as I found it, while I was rummaging through an
erosion-control tarp.
![](redbellied_24jun18_2b.jpg)
A posed photo of the same snake.
![](eggs_24jun18_1b.jpg)
Some racer eggs I saw under a carpet on June 24, with Ryan Wagner.
Interestingly, you can also see racer eggs from last year that
successfully hatched.
![](coluber_18aug18b.jpg)
On August 18, I revisited the site. It turns out the eggs were hatching.
Several of the eggs had slits in them, made by the babies inside the eggs.
I picked one of the up, and the baby racer crawled out in my hand.
I set the snake down and snapped this photo. I can also confirm that
they like to bite, starting from day zero.
![](eggs_24jun18_2b.jpg)
Some snake eggs that Ryan Wagner and I found, between some folds of carpet.
They seemed to be just a little bit too large to be ringneck eggs,
so I collected them to see what develops...
![](rgreen_18aug18b.jpg)
Right away, two of them turned out to be no good (infertile/fungus/whatever).
On or about August 17, the remaining three hatched.
It turns out they were Rough Green Snakes (Opheodrys aestivus).
I let them go where they came from.
![](eggs_24jun18_4b.jpg)
Some other snake eggs that I saw in late July.
I believe these were ringnecks. Unfortunately, the next time that
I checked on them, they had been predated upon by something.
Well that's the way it goes at these rock and roll shows...
![](nigra_24jun18_2b.jpg)
A Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra).
As is often the case, there is a blue bottle fly photobombing.
These flies are attracted to their musk. I swear I never see these
flies without the help of a kingsnake. I wonder if anybody has every
researched this...?
... and pass the bottle when he got dry
and brush away the blue-tail fly
Jimmy crack corn, and I don't care...
![](snakes_28jul18b.jpg)
A Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) and a Milksnake
(Lampropeltis triangulum), as found under a board.
![](dekay_28jul18b.jpg)
A Dekay's Snake (Storeria dekayi), almost as found under cover.
![](eggs_04aug18_1b.jpg)
Some snake eggs found on 4 August 2018 under a sheet of carpet.
I'm pretty sure they were Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra)
eggs. I collected them, but none of them turned out to be good.
![](milk_04aug18b.jpg)
A Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum), as found under a board.
![](greytree_05aug18b.jpg)
Roxanne was looking out the window of our den one morning in early August,
admiring her flowers. She spotted this. We opened up the window and
I snapped a photo. It's a metamorph (recently transformed from a tadpole)
Cope's Gray Treefrogs (Hyla chrysoscelis). And a Hydrangea.
![](widow_11aug18b.jpg)
A Black Widow spider that Ryan found.
![](ryan+friends_11aug18b.jpg)
Ryan and a couple of his buddies. We had to work pretty hard to turn
up this Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra).
![](boxturt_15aug18b.jpg)
A random Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) that I spotted.
![](copper_18aug18_1b.jpg)
I spy with my little eye...
A Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), as spotted in a hollow log
with the help of a flashlight.
![](valeriae_26au18_1b.jpg)
A Smooth Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae), as found between folds
of carpet.
![](amtoad_26aug18_1b.jpg)
A small American Toad (Bufo americanus), found hopping around on
the forest floor. The angle of that front foot looks painful, but that's
how they are put together.
![](amtoad_08sep18_1b.jpg)
Another American Toad, found on the road in the rain. This is
a nice red one.
![](longicauda_08sep18b.jpg)
A Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda) found out on the road
in the rain.
![](blackrat_16sep18_1b.jpg)
A Black Ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta), as spotted in the woods.
It is in pre-shed condition. It is rather unusual, in my experience,
to find snakes in pre-shed condition out and about. I think it was
just basking, as there was a hollow log nearby.
![](blackrat_16sep18_2b.jpg)
A closer look.
![](boxturt_30sep18b.jpg)
An Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) found snacking on
a mushroom. 2018 was an abnormally wet year, which led to plenty of mushrooms.
![](nigra_30sep18b.jpg)
A Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra), as found under
cover. I was rather happy to see this one, because it was a new area for me.
On Halloween night we had some nice warm rains. Some amphibians
were seen out and about.
![](triseriata_31oct18b.jpg)
A Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata).
![](greytree_31oct18b.jpg)
A Cope's Gray Treefrogs (Hyla chrysoscelis).
![](twoline_31oct18b.jpg)
A Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera).
![](texanum_31oct18b.jpg)
A Smallmouth Salamander (Ambystoma texanum).
![](dekays_31oct18_2b.jpg)
A Dekay's Snake (Storeria dekayi) was also seen. This individual
has very well-defined longitudinal stripes.
In addition, about a dozen of these were seen dead on the road.
![](springsal_04nov18_1b.jpg)
A Kentucky Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi).
You need to travel west of the Scioto River in Ohio to get these.
That's it for 2018.