The first warm rains of the year got the tigers moving a few nights ago in northern Illinois, here's one of the ones I found crossing the road.

Ambystoma tigrinum

Du Page county, Illinois

Today my friend Adam and I met up with Dino White and he took us to some vernal pools he found in Will county. Dino had found Spotted salamanders here before, but I had never seen maculatum in northern Illinois before. Supposedly they are getting very rare up here, but you wouldnt think that by what we found today. It started with the first log Adam rolled over.

Ambystoma maculatum

Will County, Illinois

Along with the Spotteds, we found many Blue Spotted Salamanders.

Ambystoma laterale

Heres the pool where these little gems were found.

There was another larger lake that we decided to check out too, and on the way there this little guy turned up under a log.

Central Newt, Eft stage (Notophthalmus viridescens)

Upon arriving at the next pond, we heard a group of chorus frogs calling in the distance. Then under the first log that was rolled, we found two more spotteds and a tiger salamander.

Ambystoma maculatum

While photographing these last two spotteds, I noticed another eft sitting right in front of me, out in the open! Dino and I thought that was pretty strange.

Habitat

All in all, it was an excellent day for northern Illinois, and Dino really showed us a great time. Thank you very much Dino!

Thanks for looking

Scott Albert

ILherps.com