Finally found mole salamanders after a few years of searching– last Monday (April 3), at midnight, in the forest, in a rainstorm. This is Ambystoma maculatum, the Spotted Salamander. Spotted them in Mendon Ponds Park.
Mole salamanders live most of their lives underground in burrows and eat invertebrates. But once a year, in early spring, during rainstorms, late at night – they aggregate at small ponds to mate. There were also hundreds of Wood frogs and Spring peepers mating in the pool as well… very loud.
- Vince Martinson
- Ellen Martinson
Spotted salamanders mating in the pond.
Spotted salamander charging back to the pond.
Lots of Wood frogs mating in the pond… the ripples are all frogs.
Salamander egg mass.
Spotted salamander – this one was about 7 inches long.
Spotted salamander close-up.