A Red Eft - A Development Stage of the Eastern Red Spotted Salamander

Red eft

The red eft is also called a newt

Seeing a red eft is always surprising. I found this near my deck. The bright orange skin can be shocking to see. Their life story is intriguing.

At this point in their development, they have left a pond or stream where they lived under water breathing with gills for 2-3 years. They will now spend time roaming on land before they return to a fully aquatic lifestyle. They can live as long as 15 years in the wild.

Check it out at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_newt