Monday, July 4, 2016

In Search of Herps


         “The beauty of amphibians is that they are cute, small and slow,” said Mike Clifford, co-author of the book Snakes of Virginia.  Clifford and two other Virginia Herpetology Society members recently led master naturalists on a herpetology survey on property in Powhatan County.  Armed with a variety of tools, the group headed for the woods, where they found Fowler’s toads, green frogs, spring peepers, bull frogs, a five-lined skink and more. 
 
A Fowler's Toad showed up for the count.
 
Frog specimens were briefly bagged for closer identification and then released.
 
A male box turtle participated in the survey.
                                            
One herpetologist pointed out the mites attached to a skink.  He also explained that researchers are
 trying to determine whether or not ticks that feed on certain species of lizards obtain a bacteria that could
 inhibit the spread of Lyme Disease.
 


No comments:

Post a Comment