Eleven Months of Northern Ohio Herps in 2021 (Part 2)

A very cool Four-toed Salamander that I found on March 28th. This species is Ohio’s smallest salamander.

A Green Frog that I also found on March 28th.

The Northern Dusky Salamander is well named, for it is rather drab in color. It is also an alert, slippery, swiftly running, surprisingly good jumper.

Herp habitat in northeast Ohio.

A larval Red Salamander - the habitat for this colorful creature is under rocks and logs in and around cold, clean springs and adjacent brooks.

A Blanding's Turtle basking with Midland Painted Turtles on March 30th. Blanding's Turtles have a distinctive yellow chin and are about the same size and shape as an army helmet.

A hefty American Bullfrog on April 23rd.

A Canada Goose and a Common Snapping Turtle in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

April 23rd was a good day for herping in northeast Ohio - here is an Eastern Garter Snake/DeKay's Brown Snake combo that I found on that day.

Also seen was this Northern Water Snake/Midland Painted Turtle Combo.

Male Northern Water Snakes courting a female.

An Eastern Garter Snake that I found in northwest Ohio on April 26th.

A backyard Green Frog on May 2nd.

And a backyard Northern Two-lined Salamander on May 3rd. These amphibians can be rather common and don’t seem to be affected by pollution as much as other types of salamanders.

A non-native Eastern Cooter basking with a Midland Painted Turtle in Cuyahoga Valley National Park on May 12th.

A Butler's Garter Snake that I found on May 13th in northwest Ohio.

An American Bullfrog seen on the same day. Due to its large size, the amphibian is capable of catching and consuming some very “unfroglike” meals – such as birds, bats, snakes, fish, rodents and other frogs. However, insects form the mainstay of their diet.

Common Snapping Turtles have large heads which cannot be withdrawn into their small shells.

A Northern Water Snake in northwest Ohio on May 13th.

A Blanding's Turtle basking with Midland Painted Turtles in the Toledo area.

A suburban Eastern Garter Snake that I found in Bratenahl on May 16th. This species is one of our most common and wide-ranging snakes.

I found my first Eastern Milk Snake of the year on May 17th.

A nice looking American toad that I came across on May 21st.

And an Eastern Garter Snake sporting a bit of orange. Part of the recipe for this reptile’s success is the large variety of foods it eats including frogs, toads, salamanders, earthworms, fish, tadpoles, mice and slugs.

The Gray Treefrog has the ability to change colors and can be green, gray or brown. Large, rounded toe disks enable this creature to climb.

A hatchling Midland Painted Turtle.