CINCO DE MAYO IN CENTRAL OHIO
On the first weekend in May I joined 19 high school students on a trip to a place near Zanesville.

Our first outing was a freshwater field study.

We used seines and nets to catch fish, crustaceans and mollusks.

I caught a Northern Water Snake.

Here's a bigger one caught on the following day.

We had a wood shed on the campgrounds and in the evening this Eastern Garter Snake was hanging out there.

We went on several hikes and found cool stuff, like this American Toad.

Here's something which I've never seen before: American Carrion Beetle.

Northern Ringneck Snakes were the most commonly seen reptile.

A very tiny (but very cute) Red Eft.

Mr. Maretka, Independence High School's biology teacher and Graham turned a few logs.

Eastern Garter Snake in a tree.

The same snake photographed on a tree stump.

Spring Peepers were calling, as well as Grey Treefrogs.

In the afternoon I gave a presentation on the reptiles and amphibians we had found. We stayed in tents on stilts (like you see in the background) called yurts.

The students enjoyed getting a firsthand look at some native Ohio reptiles.

Tanner checking out a water snake.

He decided that he liked snakes so much that he put a ringneck on his head.

Lily is a foreign exchange student from New Zealand - they don't have snakes there.

Adam enjoys an Eastern Garter Snake.

Marissa chillin' with a Northern Ringneck Snake.

Steve checks out a water snake.

It was a great weekend for hiking and herping.