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Gene's Notes:
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Locally, we continued to receive good rains during February. Near the end of the month,
I turned off the pump feeding the farm pond.
We heard Upland Chorus Frogs singing for the first time this year on the 15th. By the 25th,
we could also hear Spring Peepers, Southern Leopard Frogs, and Pickerel Frogs singing.
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February 21 - 23, Win and I attended the annual meeting of the
Southeast Partners in Amphibian
and Reptile Concervation (SEPARC) held at the Univerity of Georgia in Athens.
Attendance was good, about 170. There were many interesting presentations and workshops,
as well as good food and company.
February 25th was a sunny, warm day at the farm. Win, his son Wolf, and I dipped nets into
some vernal pools. We found larval Marbled Salamanders abundant. There were also abundant
crustaceans (isopods) and water beetles. We also found some small aquatic worms in numerous
colonies. They appear to be some form of tube worm. I will have to consult with someone to
make a proper identification. We dipped some pools that usually have Red-spotted Newts but did
not find any. I did manage to capture a small Green Frog.
I have released my first herpetology book. It is titled SERPENTS AND HUMANS and focuses upon
relationships between snakes and people. It contains over 120 full-color images. I think both
herpetologists and "normal" people will find it very interesting. The book addresses many cultural
and historical interactions between people and snakes. I self-published the book and I am now
working to develop paths for distributing and selling it. Currently the book can be purchased online
from the printer. For more information,
CLICK HERE.
Gene Ott
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