Studying Amphibians in the Field: Using Approximate Measures

Red Eft, the immature form of the Spotted Newt. (c) Kim M. Bennett, 2013.

 

Frogs and Toads and Salamanders... Oh, My!

Here in Connecticut, we have just come out of the April showers that were not.

Oh, we had wonderful, almost summery temperatures, and the buds began to break. But, without any measurable rain in April, almost everything remained frozen in time, waiting. The spring peepers we wrote about in the last blog post grew a bit subdued in their calls, not having anywhere to lay their eggs. The peas and lettuces that we early gardeners planted begged for water to carry them through what is normally our rainy and wet time of year.

But we have rain this week! And, with that rain, spring is bursting forth rapidly! The amphibian friends that have grown rather hidden over the past few weeks are coming out in droves now.

Our frogs and toads broke onto the scene early this year, with a few brave spring peepers coming out during a warm snap in February, and our woodland frog and toad species making their debut last month (we haven't gone down to the pond to check out the more aquatic friends, yet... Stay tuned.) This month marked the first month we have seen salamanders.

Our Amphibian Survey: May 2013

Here is a photo gallery showing our survey of amphibians, to date:

Our amphibian survey, May 2013. (c) Kim Bennett, 2013.

We created this survey form so we can observe the changes in the seasonal distribution of the amphibians in our area, over time, as well as to chronicle the seasonal patterns in each specific species over the course of a year. We like having all of the information on one sheet, which is posted on the refrigerator.

Even the adult children take part (the photo of the red eft, above, is courtesy of #2 Son, the Animal Whisperer, who dashed over to our house early [I mean EARLY] one morning after finding the little fellow in his driveway as he left for work).

To get an idea of the relative number of frogs, toads and salamanders in our area, we decided to color code our entries so we could know, at a glance. Besides, at least two of us in the house (probably more) have a fascination with those 16-color Flair packs they sell in Staples.

Did I ever tell you I have a thing for office supplies? I think it goes along with being a teacher.

While there are three main groups of amphibians here on our chart, they actually are divided into the following groups, taxonomically [click on the name to see a photograph of a representative species - or the link, if we've already written about it]:

• Mole salamanders (here is our post on the Spotted Salamander that the Plantsman rescued from the road one night after work)
• Lungless salamanders
• Mudpuppies
• Newts (see the image at the top of this post, courtesy of the Animal Whisperer)
• Toads (here is our last post, showing a photo of a Fowler's Toad that was strolling across the driveway)
• Treefrogs (there's a great video showing Spring Peepers on our frog survey post)
• Spadefoot Toads
• True Frogs (here's a little Wood Frog that somehow ended up in our living room) 

Since tree frogs are arboreal, often the only way that you can observe them is to learn their call. When we identify a frog (or a bird, for our bird list -- especially our owls) by call, we mark the entry with a (c).

The Animal Whisperer found a Gray Tree Frog once and brought it to show us. We considered that a treat, since you are not likely to actually see them, most of the time. They were a lot bigger than I expected them to be -- not tiny like Spring Peepers.



It's always good to have a site that you can go to, to listen to calls of animals. Connecticut Amphibians has excellent photos, descriptions, and audio files to help folks in our state learn more about the amphibians here.  They also have a great discussion of the importance of vernal pools to our local amphibian species, something that is an important part of any amphibian study, no matter where you live. -- [Here is an image of a vernal pool in the nature preserve near our home] -- The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History has a lot of great information, as well, but no audio files.

Measuring Amphibians

In our home, as well as in my classroom, we learn to handle wildlife gently, if at all, observe creatures for a short time and in a respectful way, then turn them loose. So we have to learn to observe them very carefully when we have them, so we can compare later. Having a digital camera is a wonderful asset to both homeschool and classroom, when it comes to reflecting on and studying things that we can't really hang onto for a long time.

If you are going to use digital images as a way to observe animals, try to make sure that you snap them with something in the frame that shows scale. See the images, below, for ideas:

This photo from  "Frog-Hunting in Connecticut" shows a Fowler's Toad in the parking lot. I waited until it hopped closer to the parking space number (most of us can visualize how big those numbers are -- about a foot tall) so you could get an idea of how very large the toad actually was -- about 6 inches long, although adult Fowler's Toads can be up to a humongous 9.5 inches long! Wow!

I considered getting a ruler to place alongside the toad, but my dog was so excited about the toad that I was afraid 1) the toad would be startled and hop away or 2) the dog would try to eat it.

Here's a great way to get a pretty accurate measurement of your amphibian, if it's one that slows down enough for you to gently pick it up.

The fingertip joint of an adult's first finger is about an inch long. Actually, this joint, even in a child from about the age of 8, on, is about an inch long. I used to teach my third graders to use their first finger joint as an approximate measure, if they didn't have a ruler. In this photo, you can use this measure to estimate that this little eft (which is probably on the large side, for efts) is about 3 1/2 inches long, from nose to tail tip. Red efts range from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long.

Here's that photo of the Spotted Salamander from "A Night-time Surprise: Spotted Salamanders", showing another visual cue you can use to estimate the size of one of your amphibian friends.

My son was carrying the salamander from one side of the road to the other, in the front of his tee-shirt. In the photo, you can see the hem of his shirt. If you are wearing a tee-shirt now, check out the hem at the bottom. If it's a regular shirt, the folded over and stitched part will be about an inch wide. Accounting for the semi-curled up nature of the little fellow, we can estimate its size to be about 8-9 inches long, from nose to tail-tip, so it's probably an older member of its species, which range from 5 inches to 10 inches long, depending on their age. They can live up to 10 years, if they don't get run over during breeding season.

Data Sheets and Notebooking Pages, for Your Amphibian Studies

In the last post, I shared a link to "Animal and Plant Surveys: 10 Reasons to Get Outside and Survey," which explained the science behind surveys as a learning task. I also included links to blank survey sheets, such as the one I showed, above, which you can use to keep track of your animal species.

An amphibian study is a great opportunity to compare animal species, too. For one way to study comparison using an interactive bulletin board, see "Comparing Nests: The 'Same and Different' Center."

There are many sources of Venn diagrams (all kinds of varieties). At  {.docstoc}, you have many to choose from, all downloadable, free of charge.

We download a lot of our general nature study pages from The Notebooking Treasury - we have been members since we began homeschooling in 2010. From now through May 31st, 2013, they are having their NotebookingPages.com 7th Birthday Sale-a-Bration Event, with discounted merchandise, chances to win prizes, and specially priced memberships (for new members) and membership extensions (for current members).

Become a Notebooking Pages LIFETIME Member (as we are) during their NotebookingPages.com 7th Birthday Sale-a-Bration Event, and you get all this:

• Save $25 on your membership
• Receive access to 150+ current notebooking products
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• Receive a $100 e-gift Bonus Bundle from various homeschool publishers
• Earn a chance to win some great prizes … an iPad mini, $100 Amazon.com gift card, LIFETIME access to The Notebooking Publisher™, and a LIFETIME membership to MomsToolBelt.com.

How could you resist?

Try Our Amphibian Study Pages - FREE!

During the next four weeks, you can enter to win a copy of My Amphibian Survey, a 36-page e-Book full of notebooking pages, centers ideas and curriculum extensions on amphibians. Two lucky contestants will get copies of this e-Book. Also, in honor of springtime, we are raffling off one copy of Nests, Nests, Nests! - our fall e-Book on nests of all kinds of animals (including amphibians) for one lucky contestant. Just enter using the Rafflecopter Form, below.


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A Nighttime Surprise: Spotted Salamanders

Every year, since our oldest children were tiny, we held a family contest to see who would be the first one to discover a spotted salamander in the spring time. This year, the prize goes to my eldest son, Evan, who spotted (haha) this beauty in the road as he was coming home from work one evening.

Evan Brand (c) 2012

Spotted salamanders are fairly common in our part of Connecticut, although most people don't see them (unless they know to look for them).  They are usually the easiest to find in the early spring (April), when the air is still cool but the water is no longer frozen. If you want to spot someone like this fellow, here, your best bet is to drive a dark road at night, especially one that borders a swampy or marshy area.

You will find dozens of spotted salamanders slowly crossing the road toward their breeding areas. (Last year, my son and his girlfriend spent about an hour, in the rain, moving salamanders across the road. They are commonly hit by cars during breeding season -- some locations post signs warning motorists of their presence).

When not heading toward their breeding areas, these nocturnal critters spend their time hidden in dark, damp locations. (The winner of our annual contest nearly always found the first salamander in the wood chip or compost pile while dressing spring flower beds).

Salamanders of Connecticut

There are a number of salamanders native to Connecticut, but I have only seen three of them in my outdoor experiences: the spotted salamander, the red-backed salamander, and the red eft. The pictures below are from Connecticut Amphibians.

Spotted Salamander

Himmelman (c) 2011

This is one of the larger salamanders in Connecticut (about 6 inches long or more, and chubby), and belongs to the group called the mole salamanders. Like most salamanders, it is nocturnal. It lays its eggs in large, gelatinous masses in marshy areas. I've never been good at telling the difference between toad, salamander and frog eggs -- I always rely on my naturalist, salamander-rescuing son to help me out.

They eat worms and insects and other smallish creatures. They are fairly slow moving, and very interesting to examine. They do not live well in a terrarium, so observe them and let them go.

I read that these salamanders live 10 years or more. I think that's amazing.

Red-backed Salamander

One of the most abundant salamanders in Connecticut, it is hard to turn over a log or rock without finding several red-backed salamanders in some parts of the state. They do not depend as heavily on water as the other salamanders, and spend their entire life on land, only needed damp areas to complete their life cycle, but not standing water.

Himmelman (c) 2011

They are easy to identify, with their slender dark brown or gray bodies, and the reddish-brown, wide band along the length of their body. Their tails are very long, making their bodies about 3 inches long, but they are very slim.

These are fast moving, hearty little fellows, and can be kept for a period of time in a terrarium (kept moist), if fed ants, aphids and other small insects.

Red Eft (Red-Spotted Newt)

I loved this little fellow when I was a child. The red eft is a common resident of wet areas (although they seem to be particular in their locations, as I have not seen one where I live now, but they were quite common when I was growing up). The red eft is a bright red-orange color, with brilliant red spots bordered by a fine black ring.

One of the most interesting parts of the red eft life cycle is that they begin it, and end it, as aquatic creatures. Unlike most salamanders, which look somewhat like tadpoles as aquatic juveniles, then emerge to finish their lives as terrestrial creatures, the red eft spends about 3 years as a, well, red eft, then returns to the water, where it becomes greener (still retaining the red spots), grows gills again, and develops caudal fins so the tail becomes a rudder.

Studying Spotted Salamanders

Inside Preparation

1. Read pp. 187-192 in the  Handbook of Nature Study. You might also find websites such as Connecticut Amphibians helpful, for more information on the specific salamanders you might find in your area.

2. Gather supplies that you will need for your outdoor excursion: flashlights, clipboards and sketching materials (remember that you will be observing at night time, so you won't be lingering a long time to draw in the dark). We have had luck bringing a digital camera and taking pictures by the light of the car headlights. Bug spray is probably a good idea, and any other mosquito protection you might need (remember, you'll be in mosquito heaven where you'll be salamander hunting!).

Salamander Observations

1. You will have the best chance of seeing spotted salamanders in late winter or early spring (here, in Connecticut, we find them in late March or early April, depending on the weather). Salamanders like very cold water for their egg-laying, but they are cold-blooded, so the air temperature has to be warm enough for them to move, but not so warm that the water is too warm for their eggs.

2. Dark roads along a marshy or swampy area are the best places to look for spotted salamanders. If you are not sure where to look, contact your local environmental agency, parks and recreation department, or university for information. Or ask other naturalists that you know.

3. When you find the salamanders, they will be moving slowly (remember, they are cold-blooded), and will likely be crossing the road from woods to water. [NOTE: Animals such as frogs, salamanders and turtles, that move from woods or field to water to mate, and cross the road in the process, will only recross the road if you put them back where they came from. If you want to help them, carry them across the road in the direction they are heading. Their instinct will take over if you put them back, and they will just head to the road again.]

4. Handle the salamanders carefully, as their bodies are soft and easily damaged.

• Describe the area where you found the salamander. Is it dry or wet? Is there water nearby? What type of body of water is it? Make a quick sketch of the area, showing what the salamander was leaving, the road and where the salamander was going.
• Describe the movement of the salamander. What words describe the movement? Was it fast or slow? Notice how the salamander moves its legs. Does it move both legs on one side first, then the other, or does it criss-cross (right front and back left then vice versa)?
• Sketch or photograph the salamander. Carefully count the number of spots on its back (some variations or species of creatures are distinguished by the number and arrangement of the spots).
• Carefully pick up the salamander and observe its face. Draw a quick sketch of its face, paying attention to the pupil of the eye (the black part), which is an interesting shape in salamanders. [NOTE: Do not take a close-up flash photograph of the salamander's face -- how would you like that?]
• Carefully examine the feet. Sketch or photograph the front foot, and then the back foot. Do they look the same? If they are different, why do you think they are?
• Measure the body and tail. Are they the same length? [NOTE: This is a fine opportunity to teach your kids about using non-standard units of measure, such as finger joints, to approximate measure. We don't always have a ruler, but we always have our fingers!]
• Observe the salamander on the ground. Return the salamander to the marshy area. What does it do? Where does it go?

Follow-up Work

Enchanted Learning has study sheets on salamanders, showing their life cycle, and the red eft life cycle. There are also blank cycle organizers for you to review the salamander life cycle, using drawings or copies of your photographs to complete the organizer.

The Notebooking Treasury is having a spring sale on their nature study materials. Click the link below for more details.

NotebookingPages.com 2012 Nature Study Sale

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