Category Archives: Reptiles and Amphibians

Time of the Frogs

We’re now entering the time of the year when there are more frogs in and around the Wetlands than at any other time. With the offspring of all of the frogs and toads that bred earlier in the season now becoming frogs, the numbers may be as high as they will be for the rest [...] Read more...

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Gulp!

It was just after noon on the first Friday of August. It was hot and humid. Earlier that morning Wayne, Camp Counselor, had reported seeing a large crawfish walking across the pavement in Explore the Wild. Over the past couple of months many of these large arthropods have been observed walking the paths of both Explore [...] Read more...

Also posted in Insects and Other Arthropods, Summer | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Garter Snake and a Frog

Pointed out to me by Summer Camp Counselor, Meghan, outside the doorway to the Lep Lab at the Butterfly House, the little snake in the image above was a bold snake, considering it was only six or seven inches in length. Garter snakes are ovoviviparous which means that the female produces eggs but retains the [...] Read more...

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Treefrogs Unite, Snappers Attempt to

On July 16th as Ranger Kristin and I walked through Explore the Wild, a tiny, grayish frog hopped out onto the pavement. The tiny frog was a Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis). The little frog (about 15 mm) had only recently morphed from a tadpole after having been deposited in the Wetlands as an egg, [...] Read more...

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The Toad has Arrived!

For the past two years I’ve heard Eastern Narrowmouth Toads (Gastrophryne carolinensis) calling from in and around the Wetlands. I’ve even heard them call from the area surrounding the small U-shaped pond in Catch the Wind but had not been able to actually see one of the tiny toads. Sure, each year I do happen to [...] Read more...

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May Herpetological Happenings

At this time of year many turtles are moving up to dry land to lay eggs. They turn up in the most peculiar of places in their quest for the perfect spot in which to dig a hole and lay their eggs (According to Ornithopter Operator, John Hammons, a Yellow-bellied Slider was found on the [...] Read more...

Also posted in Spring | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Worm or Snake?

“Is that a worm or a snake?” shouted a Museum guest as she stared down at the ground at a small, slender, brown creature frantically wiggling along the macadam on the north side of the Wetlands. Standing about thirty feet from the woman I could see the critter, but couldn’t tell exactly what it was. [...] Read more...

Also posted in Spring | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Big Blue and the Bull

The Great Blue Heron is back, and hungry! A Bullfrog makes a nice meal for a heron. Our resident heron (below) has captured a large male frog. With a firm grip on the frog, the heron wades over to a nearby island to safely prepare the frog for consumption. The frog must be rendered motionless [...] Read more...

Also posted in Birds, Spring | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Reptilian Rescue

Spring is a the time when young snakes, hatched or born last year, are seen moving about the unfamiliar landscape on their way to their summer haunts, wherever that may be. Sometimes, they need a little help in getting there. I received a call on my radio from Animal Keeper Erin Brown about one such [...] Read more...

Also posted in Spring | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A New Amphibian Song and other Herp News

Without question, American Toads (Bufo americanus) have taken the lead in the chorus of amphibian songsters. Peepers, chorus frogs and Pickerel Frogs have nearly completed their seasonal breeding and are now less frequently heard or seen. The toads began to move down into the Wetlands in numbers during the last week in March, crossing the [...] Read more...

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Greg Dodge's Portrait
  • Greg Dodge is a professional naturalist as well as a writer, videographer and producer of natural history DVDs. His images have been used in various TV productions, museum displays, and corporate videos. Above all, he has a fascination and passion for all things natural.
  • Stop by and say hello Tuesday thru Saturday in Explore the Wild, Catch the Wind, or on the Dino Trail.