Although Eastern Newts stay active all winter, even mating late in the season, this is the first I’ve seen of them in the pond in the back pasture.
We have lots of newts, they thrive in ponds where there are few fish. I used to see more fish in our pond, but I think the blue heron has been feasting on them these past few years.
The newt I saw yesterday is mature and can live up to fifteen years. The females (I can’t tell the difference between male and female newts) will lay eggs in our pond and when the larvae mature, they will leave the pond and live on dry land for about four years.
These are the little orange spotted newts called efts, that come out in the woods when it rains.
The efts spend their days looking for another pond or stream to live in and live the rest of their lives underwater.
I never knew those little orange spotted newts were called efts – it sounds like something out of Lord of the Rings. They’re beautiful.
I didn’t either Suzy, I just read about recently. They do sound otherworldly.