Hey everyone! My post today will reflect upon the herp diversity I have seen in my backyard this year. Since I moved in, I deliberately let the yard become overgrown (as the property borders wetlands) in the hopes of attracting insects and thus more herps! Below are some of my favorite herps I have photographed so far.
The interesting part about identifying this little dude was that in the Peterson field guide, while the color is mentioned to be variable, it only states morphs of green and brown. Upon further investigation I discovered that they can sometimes display shades of white or yellow.
The identification of this pair came easy due to the enormous size and large yellowish dots on their backs. The Peterson field guide puts the average large size at 2.25 inches, the larger of the two was definitely close, if not a bit over that size.
Hyla chrysoscelis-Cope's gray tree frog
The identification of this dude had to be done with this one photo as he quickly escaped after the shot. Due to the mottled irregular dark patches and coloring, I had my suspicions this was a Cope's gray. The rough skin and white patches below the eyes supported this identification.
Anaxyrus quercicus-Oak toad
This was my most recent picture after the torrential downpour we just had! Identified by the distinct black coloring and yellow mid dorsal line.
Anolis carolinensus-Green anole
The protruding dorsal crest on the male (left photo) was something I have only seen once since I have been watching the anoles scamper around. Possibly due to mating season as I saw a pair a week ago?
Hemidactylus turcicus-Mediterranean gecko
The identification was made due to the pinkish, almost translucent coloring. The toe pads were nearly the length of the digits as well. This is the first non-native herp I have seen in my backyard.
Opheodrys aestivus-Rough green snake
The identification was made due to the green coloring, white underbelly, and keeled scales. This little buddy lives in a small tree by my door.
Thanks for reading!
1 comment:
So many cool herps! Thanks for sharing! How big was the toad?
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