Michigan Ambystomids?

B

brandon

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Anyone seen any lately? Is this strange weather messing up there usual breeding times? anybody have any info or experiences that would be awesome?
 
I am on the state line of Michigan and Indiana. I own 50 acres of wetlands on a river. I have always assumed it was great "salamander" property, but I have lived here 18 years and have never seen one. I think after reading some other posts that I have been looking in the wrong places.
I was planning on looking in the small "puddles" of standing water once I heard the first frog calls. (None yet).
Up till now I have looked in the same permanent marsh waters that I find plenty of frog tadpoles. I have never found a salamander larvae. I have found small fish of misc varieties. I even find a few hatching turtles in my driveway in the spring and fall.
This spring I will be on a mission to find out if salamanders really do live in our wetlands. One problem I can think of is right now the river is flooded and about 25 of my 50 acres are under water. The salamanders may know better and live on the opposite river bank that has 15 feet higher ground elevation than my side.
If anyone has any insights, I would appreciate knowing why I can't find salamanders.
 
You're not looking under stuff.

Most salamanders hide under stuff rather than come out in the open.

They're also usually nocturnal.

Start poking around under logs and debris. You might find some. Also, they can migrate fairly far from water. And some species don't need water to breed at all!
 
Thanks for the advise. Last summer I started to look under logs, rocks etc and never found one. I may have started looking to late in the summer when it was hot. I assume they move underground more in the second half of summer. This year I am going to start looking about Apr 1st.
I'm still concerned since we have had high river levels for most of the winter and half of my property has been underwater for several weeks.
 
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