Despite the snow, the internal clocks of many amphibians are already set to spring. As a result, a number of them have already journeyed from the safety of their winter refuges to nearby pools and ponds to breed and deposit their eggs. This past Friday, prior to the weekend storm, I spent time exploring some local water bodies and found a plethora of these kinds of eggs. Any idea of what these little eggs will eventually turn into? I’ll give you a hint, the bottom picture shows both eggs and spermatophores.
If you guessed Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum), you would be correct! As the weather warms back up keep your eyes open as spring breeding will continue and a variety of other species will be depositing their eggs too!
Elyse Henshaw
Conservation Technician
