Recently emerged? Next to small turtle-sized hole.
Rarely seen in Lewis County, MO. Much more common further south.
She was VERY heavy. I would have suspected she was full of eggs, but it seems too late in the year for that.
Pair in copula along foot trail.
Long shot, taken with a cheap camera in poor light....that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
This is the Dark-sided Salamander (Eurycea longicauda melanopleura)
First Cottonmouth I’ve seen on Elk river!
Seemed to be eating something
Recently emerged? Next to small turtle-sized hole.
So Friday night before this cave trip I broke my good camera. Went out and bought a cheaper one- you can see the results ...
but getting to see grotto salamanders was great! Saw two adults, one or two (may have been the same individual twice) large larva, and four tiny larva.
The cave is Tumbling Creek Cave (formerly Bear Cave) owned and protected by Ozark Underground Lab.
Found under a piece of tin.
Rana sylvatica (I believe), at the edge of a pond.
Northern Maidenhair Ferns (Adiantum pedatum) on a wooded hillside in Big Sugar Creek State Park east of Pineville, Missouri.
Northern Maidenhair Ferns (Adiantum pedatum) on a wooded hillside in Big Sugar Creek State Park east of Pineville, Missouri.
~3ft adult, caught crossing a road around noon.
Found crawling across the street.
Roadkilled east side of I-24 south of mile marker 21.
It has been years (over 20 at least) since I have seen a gray fox in this area. As a kid they were rather common, but coyotes and red fox were very uncommon. Glad to know there are still some around, or they are coming back. It's a shame this guy got hit.