Pennsylvania Herping August 2015

Eastern Milksnake

Although relatively common, I always enjoy seeing milk snakes. These are just two of the nice ones found this summer.

Northern Water Snake

Here are two shots of colorfully patterned water snakes. The one above is a neonate. The one below is freshly shed.

   

Northern Red Bellied Snake

Two different phases, brown up top, and a darker black phase in the bottom pic.

Herping just might bring you through black bear habitat.

Northern Ring necked Snake

Eastern Musk Turtle

This musk turtle was the second ever found on the property. Musk turtles are very uncommon in the glaciated portions of Pennsylvania.

While Herping in Pa, I did find many amphibians as well.

Northern Slimey Salamander

While walking down to a creek through the woods, I found several slimy and red backed salamanders by lifting logs and rocks.

Northern Spring Salamander

Northern Red Salamander

Mountain Dusky Salamander

Unlike other mole salamanders, the marbled salamander lays its eggs in vernal pools in late summer when they are all dried out. By lifting logs alongside wetlands, you might be lucky enough to encounter one of these rare amphibians.

  

Marbled Salamander

Wood Frog

Back In New Jersey, i wanted to investigate old reports of long tailed salamanders in a local park. The long tailed salamander is a threatened species in New Jersey. In the 1800s, a small irrigation pond was built in the woods. Leading into the pond, there is a brick tunnel with spring water flowing out of it. I crawled inside the tunnel with a flashlight and was delighted to see several salamanders seeping from the cracks in the bricks. Most where two lined salamanders, but one in particular caught my eye.

 Long Tailed Salamander

This was my lifer long tailed salamander. The tunnel had replicated the perfect cave like habitat for these types of salamanders.

Pickerel Frog