Herpetofauna: Season by Season Compiled by the Davidson College Herpetology Laboratory Eastern Hognose Snake Green Tree Frog Photos by J.D. Willson, K Cecala, M.E. Dorcas, Pierson Hill, A. Heupel, Eric Stein, Wayne Van Devender, Tom Luhring

What do amphibians and reptiles do during the winter?  Some Hibernate  Spend part of the cold season in an inactive state  Who Hibernates?  Snakes  Turtles  Frogs  Salamanders Common Garter Snake Eastern Box Turtle

Why hibernate?  Protection from cold  Less food resources  Low energy requirements Eastern Mud Turtle Bullfrog Worm Snake

Where do they hibernate?  Frogs: Bottom of ponds, under leaves, burrow under ground  Snakes: Alone or in groups  Use holes, burrows, termite mounds, cracks in rock walls, etc.  Turtles: Burrow into dirt or mud  Salamanders: Under logs, leaves or in burrows Ringneck Snakes Marbled Salamander

But some species are active in winter  Frogs can be winter breeders  Spring Peeper  Call on warmer, wetter nights and during the day starting in January  Stream Salamanders can be active  Water temps can be warmer than air  Dusky Salamander  Very common and can be found year round Spring Peeper calling Dusky Salamander

Spring means breeding season!  Many Frogs breed  Pickerel Frog, Southern Leopard Frog, Green Tree Frog etc.  Salamanders breed  Reptiles come out of hibernation and breed Southern Leopard Frog Egg Mass Southern Leopard Frog Glossy Crayfish Snake

Bull Frog  Common in ponds and lakes  Males call after heavy rains  Largest frog in the NC Piedmont area  What do they eat?

Life cycle of a frog Upland Chorus FrogEgg Mass Cricket Frog calling Cricket Frog River Frog Metamorph Pine Woods Tree Frog Tadpole

Spotted Salamanders  Wetland salamanders  Breed in temporary ponds and wetlands  Warm early spring rains bring many salamanders to the ponds  Lay 200 eggs!

Eastern Hognose Snake  Mate in Spring  Lays eggs in June or July  Eggs hatch in 2 months and look just like smaller adults  Hognose Snakes have the upturned nose to dig for their favorite food… toads!

Many reptiles and amphibians are active in the summer!  Summer is the warmest season  Sun provides warmth  Other animals provide food  Some frogs are still breeding  Bullfrogs, Spadefoot toads, Grey Tree Frogs  Reptiles are most active Eastern King Snake Spadefoot Toads Grey Tree Frog

Worm Snake  Very common and abundant  Lays eggs in early summer  Hatch in late summer  Usually found when digging or under logs or mulch

Black Rat Snake  One of the BIGGEST snakes in the U.S.  Largest are over 8 feet  Live near humans  Non-venomous and non-threatening  Active during the day  Eat rats, birds, and squirrels  How do they kill and eat their prey?  Squeeze prey to death by constricting it and then swallow it whole

Box Turtle  Common residents of the woods in the Southeastern U.S.  Males have red eyes, females have brown eyes  Eat a variety of plants and animals  Live for a very long time – for 50 years or more! Box turtles

In fall some salamanders breed  Marbled Salamanders  Females lay eggs in areas that become puddles when it rains  Guard eggs until they get covered by water and hatch  Give juvenile salamanders a head start on growing so they can be bigger than other salamanders in the spring! Marbled Salamanders

Snakes are most abundant in the fall!  Snakes are more common in the fall than in any other season  Most snakes are born between July and September  Many baby snakes are around and going to find their first meals  Adults move around looking for good places to hibernate Ringneck Snake Juvenile Black Rat Snake

The year ends… and starts over again  In the fall many amphibians and reptiles find their homes to hibernate for the winter.  And then the whole process starts over again! Smooth Earth SnakeFowler’s ToadGreen Anole

Any Questions? Spring Salamander