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Management for Herps at Neithercut Woodland

Management for Herps at Neithercut Woodland. Patrick Sheehan Rachel Himes Michael Maurer Stevie Chilcote. Management Goals. Increase diversity in Neithercut Woodland Increase wetlands and coarse woody debris by removing student clean-ups

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Management for Herps at Neithercut Woodland

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  1. Management for Herps at Neithercut Woodland Patrick Sheehan Rachel Himes Michael Maurer Stevie Chilcote

  2. Management Goals • Increase diversity in Neithercut Woodland • Increase wetlands and coarse woody debris by removing student clean-ups • Maintain open areas through mowing and controlled burns • Increase public awareness through presentations at schools, seminars for educators, and polling to determine effectiveness of programs

  3. The Common Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis

  4. Garter Snake Description • Scientific Name: Thamnophis sirtalis • They can be found as far North as Ontario and as far South as Texas extending their way to the Atlantic Ocean • Their colors may be different shades of gray, green and yellow and they usually have three yellow or red stripes longitudinally down their backs. The bottom is usually light yellow or white • Adult size is 20-30 inches • Environment temperature is between 60 to 93 degrees F

  5. Garter Snake Distribution in North America

  6. Garter Snake Environment and diet • Meadows, piles of debris, forests, hillsides, fields, marshes, woods, city parks, wetlands, areas around lakes and suburban backyards • Opportunistic eaters and prey mostly on earthworms, salamanders, small fish, frogs, tadpoles, insects and small birds and mammals

  7. Garter Snake Mating and Birth • Hibernation in late October and end in early April • Mating right after hibernation • Garter snakes are livebearers, having 5-50 babies • They musk when scared

  8. Garter Snake Management • Educate the public on snakes, programs at local schools, zoos and community functions • Controlled burns and mowing

  9. Blue-Spotted Salamander

  10. Blue-Spotted SalamanderRange • North America • Southeastern Canada, • Northeastern United States • Great Lakes Basin • Michigan • StatewideDistribution

  11. Blue-Spotted Salamander Habitat: Moist Deciduous Hardwood Swamp Woodlands Breeding/Early Development: Ephemeral Wetlands Adult Life: Adjacent Uplands -Under logs, rocks, leaf litter High tolerance of anthropogenic disturbance.

  12. Ephemeral WetlandsSeasonal Transformation Spring Summer Winter Fall

  13. Blue-Spotted Salamander • Diet • Carnivorous • Worms, snails, slugs, insects, centipedes, spiders • Larval Stage • Water fleas, copepods, insects and insect larvae, specifically mosquito larvae.

  14. Blue-Spotted Salamander • Management Plan Objectives • Protect natural water-level fluctuations in ephemeral wetlands. • Reduce sediment and chemical (pesticides, herbicides, etc.) runoff into wetland areas from roads, livestock operations, agricultural fields. • Conserve upland areas surrounding ephemeral wetlands. • Expand education programs to inform the general public of the significant role ephemeral wetlands play within their ecosystems.

  15. The Spotted SalamanderAmbystoma maculatum

  16. The Spotted Salamander Photo by Eric Aldrich Description • Average size of an adult is 5-7 inches long, with some over 9 inches long • Dorsal color is black, dark brown or dark gray with yellow spots in two irregular rows running from head to tail. Photo by Victor Young

  17. Range and Habitat • Range • Found throughout most of the eastern USA and adjacent southern Canada • Habitat • Found in hardwood and mixed coniferous-deciduous forest habitats • During breeding they migrate to vernal pools. • The vernal pools are fishless, improving reproduction success. Photo from www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naa) Photo taken by Mike Marchand

  18. Life History Photo by Mike Marchand • Found mainly in mature upland forests except during breeding season they migrate to vernal pools • Breeding • Males court females with head nudging and rubbing • male drops a spermatophore, which female then picks up. • Males may drop nearly 100 spermatophores in one season. • larvae hatch within 2-4 weeks and feed and grow for 2-4 months. • When fully grown, the adults leave the pools and enter the forest for winter.

  19. Diet • Larvae • size-selective feeders, ingesting a range of aquatic invertebrates • zooplankton, Beetles, small crustaceans, odonates. • Adults • generalists on forest floor invertebrates • mollusks, earthworms, centipedes, millipedes, spiders, and a wide variety of insects.

  20. Eastern Massasauga RattlesnakeSistrurus catenatus catenatus

  21. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake • Ranges in size from 18.5 to 39.5 inches • Diet includes small mammals, reptiles, and invertabrates • In summer, it will avoid open areas and meadows and prefers wetlands and fens • July to Sept., gravid females seek out dryer areas • Oct. and Nov., hibernate in wetland areas

  22. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake • Status • MI--Species of special interest • US--Under consideration for listing • Habitats necessary • Open wetlands for hibernation and thermoregulation • Conifer forest for hunting Rich Conifer Swamp Prairie Fen

  23. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake • Prescribed burns and mowing in the open areas around Elm Creek • Dike built on the creek to increase wetlands

  24. Thank you for your time Questions?

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