Spring and early Summer in Florida

I've been really getting behind on posting stuff I've been seeing around the area. Here's my attempt to catch up a bit.

I'll begin with the most exciting to me: juvenile Flatwoods Salamanders (Ambystoma bishopi), one of the very rarest North American salamanders. This was the first year in over six that the flatwoods ponds have held water long enough for successful breeding.






Here are a few of the neat snakes I've been seeing, beginning with a young Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum).

An intolerant adult coachwhip showing the "striking" dark pigment on its anterior.

Adult Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus)

(Gray) Eastern Ratsnake (Elaphe alleghaniensis)

Juvenile Eastern Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata)


Large adult corn snake (I was holding this while standing up, so it was over 4', maybe close to 5')


As a segue back to amphibians, here's a Banded Watersnake (Nerodia fasciata fasciata) consuming a Southern Toad (Bufo terrestris).

Oak Toads (Bufo quercicus) in amplexus, our smallest true toad (adult size range 3/4 to 1 5/8 in. long)

Eastern Narrowmouth Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis) with snowflake markings on the dark areas

Pine Woods Treefrog (Hyla femoralis)

male Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)

male Barking Treefrog (Hyla gratiosa)

While I'm living here, I feel a need to keep paying attention to our local endemic Florida Bog Frog (Rana okaloosae). There are almost always neat pitcher plants and sundews where the frogs live.

Southern Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber vioscai)

Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera)

This Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) looked like a snake on the road when I first saw it. This was my first glass lizard in the wild.


Last but not least (well, maybe least in size), this cute Gulf Coast Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina major) hatchling was a pleasant surprise on a long walk back to my work truck one day.