Herpetofauna: Season by Season

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

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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

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

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

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

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

10. Eastern Hognose Snake • Mate in Spring • Lays 5-500 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!

11. 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 Spadefoot Toads Grey Tree Frog Eastern King Snake

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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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 Juvenile Black Rat Snake Ringneck Snake

17. 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 Snake Fowler’s Toad Green Anole

18. Any Questions? Spring Salamander