Third Eye - Carter Caves 2007  
Third Eye Logo

Fence Lizard
Spiny Lizard
While the students were canoeing, Scott Maretka, the biology teacher at Independence High School, and I tried our luck at catching Eastern Fence Lizards (Sceloporus undulatus). I nabbed this male, which had a blue belly.
Click here to see another photo
Night
Female Fence
Mr. Maretka caught this gravid female, which was rather colorful (for a fence lizard). When pursued, a fence lizard will stay on the opposite side of the tree from its predator, just like a squirrel.
Click here to see another photo
Green Snake Gentle Green
After we were rejoined by the students, I caught this Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus). These snakes are graceful, mild-tempered tree-dwellers.
Click here to see another photo
Bizzle No Greenhorn
John Butler keeps snakes and lizards at home and was glad to have a chance to hold a wild serpent.
Jenna Jenna Gets Green
Jenna Wagner is one of my former art students. Now she's learning a little herpetology from me. Some people have all the luck.
Longtail Longtail
We were unsuccessful in finding a cave salamander, but we did find one of its closest relatives, the Longtailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda), which has a slender tail that is much longer than its body.
Dirty Dirty Laundry
Cave exploring is a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.
Slimy Sticky Situation
The Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) produces a glue-like secretion from its skin as a defense against predators. They inhabit moist, hilly forests.
Pickerel Frog Poison Potion
Rather than secreting glue, the Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris) produces poison, which makes it unappetizing to some predators.
Black King Royal Reptile
Although it was pretty badly beaten up, I was excited to find this Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra). These snakes are powerful constrictors and are immune to the venom of copperheads, rattlesnakes and cottonmouths.
Click here to see another photo

Presentation King of Snakes
I gave a short presentation on King Snakes to the students.
Spring Salamander Identity Crisis
This newly metamophised Kentucky Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi) was hard for us to positively identify.
Bye Here's Where the Story Ends
Another Bio Society Spring Trip draws to a close.
Third Eye Webpage