Vernal Pooling

Well, I took the day off to do something I like to do but sure must seem stupid; I went out to a couple of wooded areas to look at some vernal pools. Yep, I know; goofball. I would never ask anyone to go with me on some expedition that must seem idiotic.

Vernal pools are small, shallow ponds that hold water part of the year but generally go dry in mid to late summer. The particular characteristic has to be established. It can't be a one-time wet area; the result of an unusually rainy spring. They are important to the ecosystem and are full of biodiversity.

I drove out to a place known to have a couple vernal pools. I put on my dumb-looking boots, rubber gloves and walked out to see what I could find. This time of the year there are interesting things to uncover at a vernal pool. There are various kinds of amphibian eggs such as assortment of species of salamander, toad, frog and turtle. There are also interesting and rare invertebrates that are found nowhere else but within vernal pools. Unfortunately, vernal pools are also a prime property for mosquitoes, which begin developing in the early spring.

I became excited because I think I spotted the small, jelly-like egg mass soon to be jefferson salamander larvae. It's been a while since I've seen jefferson salamander eggs, so I'm not 100% sure what I was looking at. The jefferson salamander usually lays fewer eggs than the spotted salamander or something like a wood frog. Still, not 100% sure.

Anyway, I'm home now, messing around on the internet, and savoring a small glass of bourbon, bourbon purchased by someone else, for someone else, but drinkable by me.