Salamanders delight hikers

#MiddleburyCT #RedEfts #MiddleburyLandTrust #KidsHike

This red eft salamander spotted in August in the Sperry Preserve shows off the eponymous reddish-orange coloration and spots along its back. It is the juvenile form of the red-spotted newt, one of the 12 salamander species found in Connecticut. (Janine Sullivan-Wiley photo)

By JANINE SULLIVAN–WILEY

On a sunny day during our very wet August, I went on a hike with a bunch of family – including five grandchildren aged 3 to 13 – on trails in the Middlebury Land Trust’s Sperry Preserve. It was a wonderful experience, not in small part due to the sighting of 172 (yes – 172!) red efts ranging in size from one to two inches in length.

Red efts are the small, eponymously red (although I think they are more orange than red) little salamanders with tiny, cute feet, little spots on their backs, and faces that look almost like they’re smiling. We made a game of seeing who could spot the most, offset by a deepening concern to not step on the adorable little creatures.

Red efts are the juvenile form of red-spotted newts. They thrive where they can find both the necessary moist environments to hide in and water to breed in. Their presence indicates a healthy environment – a good sign for Sperry Preserve.

As amphibians (unlike lizards) they live part of their life cycle on land and part in water. In my research, I discovered that salamanders have two to four distinct life stages. Most have two (larval and terrestrial) while newts have four: egg, aquatic larvae, terrestrial juvenile (or “eft”), and aquatic adult. The ones we saw were in the juvenile stage, which can last one to three years.

Red efts are one of the 12 salamander species native to Connecticut, although six of them are on Connecticut’s list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species. That’s too bad, because salamanders help control aquatic insects such as mosquito larvae. The 12 types are the Red-spotted Newt (in its juvenile state the red eft), Eastern Redback Salamander, Blue-spotted Salamander, Dusky Salamander, Four-toed Salamander, Jefferson Salamander, Marbled Salamander, Mudpuppy, Northern Slimy Salamander, Northern Spring Salamander, Northern Two-lined Salamander, and the Spotted Salamander.

Of those listed, the most common, the Eastern Redback Salamander, is 2 to 4 inches long with two color phases, one red (where it might be mistaken for a red eft) and one lead-colored. It’s an amphibian oddity as it doesn’t need water at any stage.

The Red-spotted Newt can secrete poisonous toxins through their skin (I have never felt any ill-effects after handling them), making most predators avoid them, except ribbon snakes, which have found a way to eat them without harm. The largest, the Mudpuppy, is 8 to 17 inches in length. It’s rare and fully aquatic, mostly found in the Housatonic and Connecticut Rivers.

The Blue Spotted and Jefferson salamanders are similar in appearance (about five inches long, the former black with blue spots or flecks, the latter more brown) and are known to mate with each other – resulting in the hybrids that are the ones most often found in this part of the state. The Four-toed Salamander is interesting as it can detach its tail if it is grabbed by a predator. The discarded tail wriggles around while the salamander has time to escape. The black and white Marbled Salamander is an oddity in that it breeds in the fall.

We can cherish all salamanders for their value in controlling insect populations, as prey for other species, and for their value as delicate indicators of environmental health. To protect their health means conserving what they need to survive, undisturbed forests and woodlands, wetlands and vernal pools essential for breeding and limiting use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and other toxins. If you lift a log or rock to look for one, replace it exactly as you found it. In the spring, drive carefully to avoid running over them as they seek a good wet area to lay their eggs. Don’t collect them.

Saturday, October 12, at 10 a.m., the Middlebury Land Trust will host a kids hike. Starting at Sperry House (at 312 Park Road ext.), the hike will be an hour or so in length. It will be suitable for kids of any age, but all must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather.

Janine Sullivan-Wiley will lead the group as they see what they can find along trails that go through woods and wetlands. Hopefully they will find bugs, amphibians, and maybe some scats. Children will learn where to look for small creatures, some basic identification tips for scats and how to identify and avoid poison ivy. Contact jswspotlight@gmail.com to register. Free.

Contact this writer at jswspotlight@gmail.com. You can visit the Middlebury Land Trust on Facebook or the website at middleburylandtrust.org. Happy hiking!