Herpetofauna Season by Season Eastern Hognose Snake Photos

Herpetofauna: Season by Season Eastern Hognose Snake Photos by J. D. Willson, K Cecala, 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? § § 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 § § 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 § § 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