Vernal Pools for Me – Week 8 – Habitat

Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) can sometimes be found under logs, but they usually spend the summer underground in small mammal burrows or cavities left behind by rotting roots. They are a forest species, and from Dr. Steve Faccio’s 2003 research, we know they like to live on slopes with moist soil, small trees, many dead leaves on the forest floor, and plenty of logs and stumps.

Hoary Bats (Lasiurus cinereus), like Harold, don’t breed in vernal pools but might know these wetlands as water sources and feeding areas. When bats awake at dusk, they seek out water and take a drink before hunting tasty insects. Vernal pools are hotspots for insects, so they are wonderful places for bats.