When is the best time to look for eggs?

[ReiDragon]

So I live in northern Indiana and I already am all ready to collect some salamander eggs. I have all the necesary permits and am planning on only taking about 15 (in case I have some losses) I have already spoken to my local DNR and got approved. Our weather has been in the 40's and rainy but lately we have dropped back to freezing. When would be the best time to look for blue spotted salamander eggs and how do I tell them apart from yellow spotted?

I would just buy a blue spotted if I could but in Indiana you are not allowed to purchase a native species. Only collect up to 5 native species as log as they are not on the Indiana endangered list.

 

[ReiDragon]

No one has any clue? Well we have a few vernal pools in our woods and along our road. I have been looking carefully in each and so far no luck. I hear plenty of frogs but no eggs from them yet either. Perhaps it is just to early.

 

[Kaysie]

I was out Wednesday night with some friends, and found a few individuals in the water, but no eggs.

Getting close! After all the rain we had last night, I'm betting there will be eggs this coming week.

 

[ReiDragon]

Kayse we sooo have to get together and herp sometime <33 xD. I love meeting people with similar interests. You wouldn't beileve how many of my friends think it's weird that my idea of a good time is tramping around the woods and marshes armed with herp gear XD.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

I have been tromping about both during the night and day here, our weather is about the same as yours right now. I think its a bit early for eggs yet. a good warm spell and a few days of steady rain would be nice here. Saw a few transiting the road near the house while walking the dog at night, but with a bit of snow in the forecast the next two days, it may be another week or so.

 

[Kaysie]

I was out last night. We got a ton of rain the night before, but then it turned to snow. No eggs. Still too cold. Suppose to rain mid-week, and I'll go out again.

As far as getting together, you should come up for the Michigan State University 4th Annual Herp Survey on April 25th. It'll be a good time. There will be a fair number of c.org members there too!