Transcript Upper & Lower Elementary Powerpoint Presentation

Herpetofauna:
Season by Season
Compiled by the Davidson
College Herpetology Laboratory
Eastern Hognose Snake
Photos by J.D. Willson, K Cecala, M.E. Dorcas, Pierson Hill, A. Heupel, Eric
Stein, Wayne Van Devender, Tom Luhring
Green Tree Frog
What do amphibians and
reptiles do during the
winter?
 Some Hibernate
 Spend part of the cold season in an inactive state
 Who Hibernates?
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Snakes
Turtles
Frogs
Salamanders
Common Garter Snake
Eastern Box Turtle
Why hibernate?
 Protection from cold
 Less food resources
 Low energy requirements
Bullfrog
Worm Snake
Eastern Mud Turtle
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
Ringneck Snakes
 Salamanders: Under logs,
leaves or in burrows
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
Spring Peeper calling
 Water temps can be warmer
than air
 Dusky Salamander
 Very common and can be
found year round
Dusky Salamander
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
Southern Leopard Frog
Glossy Crayfish Snake
Bull Frog
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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 Frog
Egg Mass
Pine Woods Tree Frog
Tadpole
Cricket Frog calling
Cricket Frog
River Frog Metamorph
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 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!
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
Spadefoot Toads
Grey Tree Frog
 Reptiles are most active
Eastern King Snake
Worm Snake
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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
Box turtles
 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!
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
Juvenile Black Rat Snake
Ringneck 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 Snake
Fowler’s Toad
Green Anole
Any Questions?
Spring Salamander