I am taken with them. They are the terrestrial juvenile stage of the Red-spotted Newt. They live in this stage for a few years then migrate back to a permanent puddle to live out their lives as an aquatic adult. Red Efts live in forests. They are one of the wonderful things about living on the mountain.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Red Eft
I was getting ready to leave the house for a weekend jaunt to Massachusetts. Scurrying to and fro: packing the car, dashing back in the house for a hat, suddenly remembering it would be helpful to have cash, gathering the perennials I had dug; I had just watered the flower pots on the driveway when I happened to look down and there was a glowing orange eft. I hadn't seen one in years. Shortly after I moved to the mountain, there was one summer when we had efts everywhere. Hundreds got squashed on the road. On my morning walks, I would gather them up and put them on the grass. Maybe this will be another year like that one.
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1 comment:
Very cool. I'd love to see one. We have tiger salamanders. But they are few and far between. I've only seen a hand full in the 7 years I've worked here.
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