As the snow melts away and you have the opportunity to venture out into The Last Green Valley’s woods and forests, look for vernal pools. If you make repeated trips to these natural wonders during the spring and early summer months, the world of amphibians and other aquatic creatures will open up to you.

Vernal pools get their name because they appear in the spring (“vernal,” meaning, “of, relating to, or occurring in the spring”). They are temporary pools of water that are usually devoid of fish and provide habitat for diverse and distinctive plants and animals. The lack of fish provides a safe environment for the early or natal development of amphibian and insect species that would otherwise be eaten by fish.

Vernal pool basins are filled by runoff from snowmelt and spring rains. They hold enough water during the spring and early summer months for amphibians and insects to lay eggs and for the juveniles to hatch, mature and leave the pools before they dry up in mid-to-late summer.

Vernal pools are teeming with life and exploring them will amaze you. You’ll want to wear rubber boots and walk along the edge of the pool. Look closely for what may be moving below the surface of the water and along the pool bottom.

There is a good chance you’ll find the egg masses, and later in the spring the tadpoles, of various species of frogs and toads. Some salamanders also use vernal pools for reproduction and will lay their eggs in the water. After hatching, the larvae undergo metamorphosis and will emerge from the vernal pool in late summer and early fall to migrate to forest habitat.

One of our more interesting vernal pool salamanders is the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). The spotted salamander is between four and seven inches long with a broad head. The female is larger than the male and both are dark in color with dark backs and lighter bottoms and sides. Their name comes from the two irregular rows of bright yellow spots along their backs and tails.

Adult spotted salamanders are terrestrial and subterranean animals preferring forest habitat near swamps and ponds. They spend most of their life in burrows and tunnels just under the leaf litter of the woods. They are voracious hunters feeding on worms, insects and other invertebrates found in and on the forest floor.

The likelihood of seeing a spotted salamander is very rare – that is until those moist and warm rains of early spring, when they emerge from their burrows and migrate in large numbers to vernal pools. The first to arrive are the males, depositing their sperm on leaves and twigs in the pools. The males are followed by females laying up to 100 eggs that become encased in a mass of jelly-like substance. Like frog and toad eggs, this mass is easy to see just under the water. After mating, the adults return to their forest habitat, hiding until the following year when warm spring rains call them again to continue the circle of life.

The spotted salamanders’ migration to their breeding pools is fascinating to watch. They migrate together in large numbers and unfortunately this is when they are the most vulnerable, especially to vehicles as they travel across roadways to reach their breeding pools.

Do you know of a vernal pool in your town or near you home? This year, as the snow of winter melts away and fills vernal pools throughout The Last Green Valley, look to the forecast for those warm spring nights when moist rains stir the spotted salamander from its burrow. Venture out with flashlight in hand and hopefully you, too, can witness one of nature’s most amazing displays.

We are fortunate to live in a beautiful region teeming with flora and fauna and the fascinating story of life each brings to our world. I hope you’ll join me in exploring The Last Green Valley. Together we can care for, enjoy, and pass on this place we call home.

Bill Reid is the Chief Ranger of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor and has lived in the region for more than 30 years. He can be reached at bill@tlgv.org