Hey, thanks for coming out on Friday to my amphibian program at The Compleat Naturalist. As always, I had a great time meeting new people and talking about these amazing creatures.
Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention at the program is that I will be at the French Broad Garden Club’s annual plant sale on April 23rd. MILKWEED will be available to buy!! Please do come out and join me– I will be there all day from 9-2 and will be selling my greeting cards and new blank notebooks. I hope to see you. (at Clem’s Cabin, 1000 Hendersonville, Rd, Asheville, NC)
Here are some of cool links that we didn’t have time to see during the program:
A giant salamander emerges from a river in Japan–this salamander is related to our local HELLBENDER.
How about watching the salamander with the longest tongue… WOW, talk about amazing!
More info or even MORE on the salamander with the longest tongue.
Info about Hellbenders HERE.
Read here about an amazing undertaking in New England to help important amphibians cross busy roads. Or HERE to watch another video about a successful tunnel built in a town called Amherst, Massachusetts.
The high cost of losing a tail–or Autotomy.
Here are some great facts about amphibians from a website dedicated to protecting them.
Did you know there’s a salamander that lives in Europe and can go 10 years without eating? Or live more than 50 years? THIS IS ASTONISHING! Read more HERE or see a video of this HERE.
A great article about the two types of glands in amphibians and about general adaptations that have made them a successful group
Check out this amazing frog that actually swallowed the eggs! And then spit them back out when they had hatched 6-7 weeks later! Sadly, this newly discovered frog is now thought to be extinct.
Oh, my gosh! Check out this pipa pipa frog that actually creates pockets of skin on its OWN BACK to protect the eggs until the froglets hatch 3 months later. Nature is AMAZING! This is indisputable proof!
https://youtu.be/o9S8ZoxOjOQ
Here’s an interesting article about why frogs are slimy.
Wow, another amazing example of Nature’s adaptations, check out video of a frog called Darwin’s Frog. Males of this species actually keep the developing frogs in their vocal pouch! and then spit them out as fully formed froglets!
Amphibians are in trouble–Read more about that HERE with a great article from National Geographic.
Did you know amphibians are at great risk, many becoming extinct? Learn more HERE, including what you can do to help.
And lastly, here are a few links to my own blog posts that I’ve written over the years, explaining some of this stuff in more detail:
Info on Fairy Shrimp
10 things you didn’t know about wood frogs
Listen HERE to an American toad singing
One more thing… for those of you who asked about my Monarch chrysalis necklace… it was made by a woman named JudeRose. You can find her and her work on etsy.
It was great seeing you Friday! Please send me a note if you were at the program to let me know if you enjoyed it or if you have any questions I didn’t answer. I hope to hear from you soon!