The spotted salamander pictured is one of several species of mole salamanders found throughout Ohio. One of the things that make these fascinating creatures so interesting is their annual migration to their breeding pools. Usually the first warm rainy night of the season after the ground has thawed will trigger a mass migration of these animals. They are leaving their underground burrows and heading to the place of their birth, in this case vernal pools or other temporary bodies of water where they lay their egg masses. These animals may only be above ground and in the pools for a few days. After breeding activity is completed, they return to their underground haunts until next year. This event can happen anywhere from mid-February until the first week of April. This season, it seems a major migration took place here in southern Ohio in the wee hours of March 12, when a cold front pushed through with heavy rain and temperatures around 60 during the night. By mid-afternoon the same day, we had near blizzard conditions once again, but most of the salamanders made their way to the safety of the pools. There may be another one or two runs yet this spring if conditions are right.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 12:11:16 +0000
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