Wildlife and Your Land 37 Reptiles and amphibians, collectively known as “herptiles” or “herps” for short, are cold- blooded animals unlike the warm-blooded mammals and birds. The reptiles include snakes, lizards and turtles; amphibians include frogs and salamanders. Most snakes, all lizards and some turtles prefer to live on land. Most turtles prefer a life in or near water. However, all amphibians must lay their eggs in water or very damp habitats. Therefore, wetlands—from marshes, swamps and moist woodlands to lakes, streams, ponds and temporary pools—are essential to the survival of amphibians. Many reptiles, on the other hand, are not as dependent on wetlands as are the amphibians. Because the thick, hard scales which cover reptilian bodies provide protection from drying air and sun, most Wisconsin snakes and lizards live far from water. Still, aquatic turtles and water snakes are very dependent on wetlands. Amphibians are also different from reptiles in that they go through a metamorphosis, or change in body shape. Just think about frogs in their early tadpole stage. Lastly, all Wisconsin herptiles are silent creatures except for the unique vocalizations of the frogs. Who has not appreciated hearing the jingling of spring peepers or the trilling of toads on a warm spring night? Herps are very beneficial to people. Several kinds of snakes, for instance, consume large quantities of rodents each year. Only two, fairly rare kinds of snakes are poisonous: the timber rattlesnake found in the rugged bluff country along the Mississippi and Lower Wisconsin Rivers, and the Massasauga, a shy, retiring rattler of the swamps. Frogs and toads also do their best to reduce the supply of insects including mosquitoes, black flies, and other pesky flying insects. As with birds and mammals, herps are important in their own right. Both reptiles and amphibians serve as food for other, larger animals, so all play a critical role in the circle of life and the cycles of nature. Landowners don’t often think of attracting reptiles or amphibians to their property. These cold-blooded, “slimy” or “scaly” creatures just don’t seem to have the aesthetic appeal that the “warm fuzzy” birds and mammals have. Nevertheless, since this group of animals plays an invaluable role in the ecological scheme of things on the Wisconsin landscape, you may want to plan some projects to encourage their presence. You could, for instance, restore a wetland on your property where one once existed and may have been filled in or plowed under. Or, consider improving your woodland by leaving downed timber on the woodland floor, especially in moist lowland woods where salamanders and some frogs would benefit. Your property’s biodiversity and overall natural health will be greatly increased. Read more about reptiles and amphibians in Natural History of Amphibians and Reptiles in Wisconsin by Richard Carl Vogt, published 1981 by the Milwaukee Public Museum and Friends of the Museum. Green frog Reptiles and Amphibians
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Reptiles and Amphibians · 2012-02-15 · Reptiles and amphibians, collectively known as “herptiles” or “herps” for short, are cold-blooded animals unlike the warm-blooded
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Wildlife and Your Land 37
Reptiles and amphibians, collectively knownas “herptiles” or “herps” for short, are cold-blooded animals unlike the warm-bloodedmammals and birds. The reptiles includesnakes, lizards and turtles; amphibiansinclude frogs and salamanders. Most snakes,all lizards and some turtles prefer to live onland. Most turtles prefer a life in or nearwater. However, all amphibians must laytheir eggs in water or very damp habitats.Therefore, wetlands—from marshes, swampsand moist woodlands to lakes, streams,ponds and temporary pools—are essential tothe survival of amphibians. Many reptiles, onthe other hand, are not as dependent onwetlands as are the amphibians. Because thethick, hard scales which cover reptilianbodies provide protection from drying air andsun, most Wisconsin snakes and lizards livefar from water. Still, aquatic turtles andwater snakes are very dependent onwetlands.
Amphibians are also different from reptilesin that they go through a metamorphosis, orchange in body shape. Just think about frogsin their early tadpole stage. Lastly, allWisconsin herptiles are silent creaturesexcept for the unique vocalizations of thefrogs. Who has not appreciated hearing thejingling of spring peepers or the trilling oftoads on a warm spring night?
Herps are very beneficial to people. Severalkinds of snakes, for instance, consume largequantities of rodents each year. Only two,fairly rare kinds of snakes are poisonous: thetimber rattlesnake found in the rugged bluffcountry along the Mississippi and LowerWisconsin Rivers, and the Massasauga, ashy, retiring rattler of the swamps. Frogs andtoads also do their best to reduce the supplyof insects including mosquitoes, black flies,and other pesky flying insects. As with birdsand mammals, herps are important in theirown right. Both reptiles and amphibians
serve as food for other, larger animals, so allplay a critical role in the circle of life and thecycles of nature.
Landowners don’t often think of attractingreptiles or amphibians to their property.These cold-blooded, “slimy” or “scaly”creatures just don’t seem to have theaesthetic appeal that the “warm fuzzy” birdsand mammals have. Nevertheless, since thisgroup of animals plays an invaluable role inthe ecological scheme of things on theWisconsin landscape, you may want to plansome projects to encourage their presence.You could, for instance, restore a wetland onyour property where one once existed andmay have been filled in or plowed under. Or,consider improving your woodland by leavingdowned timber on the woodland floor,especially in moist lowland woods wheresalamanders and some frogs would benefit.Your property’s biodiversity and overallnatural health will be greatly increased.
Read more about reptiles and amphibians inNatural History of Amphibians and Reptilesin Wisconsin by Richard Carl Vogt, published1981 by the Milwaukee Public Museum andFriends of the Museum.
Green frog
Reptiles and Amphibians
38 Wildlife and Your Land
Mudpuppy
Spiny Softshells
Musk Turtle
Painted Turtle
Blandings Turtle
Ornate Box Turtle
Wood Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Map Turtle
TigerSalamander
Red-backedSalamander
Wildlife and Your Land 39
Blandings Turtle
Ornate Box Turtle
Map Turtles (3 kinds)
Musk Turtle
Painted Turtle (2 sub-species)
Snapping Turtle
Soft-shelled Turtles (2kinds, Spiny is mostcommon)
Open fields, open oakwoodlands, dry rockysouthwest facing slopes,dry prairies, oaksavannas
Dry to slightly moistareas such as surfaceleaves on open woodlandfloors, southern lowlandhardwood forest,marshes, old fields,under rubbish or vacantlots
Loose sandy soil in dryprairies, oak savannas,pine barrens, and oakopenings; south andwest slopes in bluffsalong Wisconsin andMississippi rivers
Lake, creek and rivermargins, grassy fields,sedge meadows, bogs,wet prairies andhillsides
Open fields, hillsides,especially open sandyareas, also southernlowland hardwood forestnear rivers duringsummer months
Marshy areas, bogs,lowland hardwoodforests and more openswamps with sunny, dryopen fields nearby
Moist forest edges nearopen woods andgrasslands; alsowoodlots and pasturesnear streams and rivers
Seeks shelter under flatrocks or in limestonecrevasses, or inmammal burrows
Hibernate in desertedanthills, rock crevassesand buildingfoundations
Hibernates in deep rockfissures on SW exposedhills, burrows of pocketgophers or groundsquirrels; seeks summershelter in dense groundcover, flat rocks andmammal burrows
Hides underground,under logs, infoundations and under avariety of litter
Seeks shelter in its ownburrows which it makesin sand or else seeksshelter in abandonedrodent burrows
Hibernates in mammalburrows, especiallycrayfish burrows
Hibernates infoundations or otherburied rock structures;found under boards andlogs in summer
Found in trees and hidein the holes of oak andhickory; hibernatesunderground in naturalrock structures, rock-lined dug wells anddeep rock foundations;in summer, often hidesunder boards and piecesof metal
Southern half
Statewide
Southwest and West
Statewide for EasternGarter Snake only
Statewide except fornorthcentral counties
West and West-central,ENDANGERED
Southern two-thirds
Statewide
Snakes Food Habitat Shelter Distribution
44 Wildlife and Your Land
Northern Ring-neckedSnake
Prairie Ring-necked Snake
Smooth Green Snake
Timber Rattlesnake
Northern Water SnakeQueen Water Snake
Western Slender GlassLizard
Six-lined Racerunner
Five-lined SkinkNorthern Prairie Skink
Small salamanders,earthworms, smallsnakes, lizards
Rocky, open or woodedhillsides and nearbyfields and lowlands, oakwoodlands
Borders of creeks, riversand lakes
Open meadows, drymesic prairie, oaksavanna with sandysoils
Dry sandy areas in openfields and on rockyhillsides
Dry, sandy areas inopen fields and oak andpine barrens
Both: Hide under rocks,bark, fallen trees;Northern: hides in logsor leaf litter by day,forages at night;Prairie: by day, baskson dry prairie hillsides
Found under logs ormetal
Found along bluffsassociated with theMississippi andWisconsin rivers
Takes refuge in thewater
Hides in sedge clumpsand animal burrows
Hides in brush, grassclumps, and its ownburrows
Hides in stumps, rottinglogs, slab and sawdustpiles; may climb treesand low brush to forageand escape predator
Northern: northernthirdPrairie: southwest
Mostly statewide,except along extremewestern counties andsouthwest
West and southwest
Northern: statewideRESTRICTED
Queen: extremesoutheastENDANGERED
West and central,ENDANGERED
Southwest
Prairie: northwestFive-lined: central andnortheast
Lizards Food Habitat Shelter Distribution
Wildlife and Your Land 45
Glass Lizard
Six-lined Racerunner
Five-lined Skink
Prairie Skink
46 Wildlife and Your Land
Notes
Wildlife and Your Land 47
Notes
Wildlife and Your Land Staff: Mary K. Salwey, Project Director; JanetL. Hutchens, Project Assistant; Todd Peterson, Chief, Public Service andUser Program Section. Editorial assistance by Robert Hay, Cold-bloodedSpecies Manager; Sumner Matteson, Avian Ecologist; Scott Craven,UW-Extension; Adrian Wydeven, Mammalian Ecologist; and KeithWarnke, Upland Wildlife Ecologist. Graphics and layout by KandisElliot. Published by the Bureau of Wildlife Management, WisconsinDepartment of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 7921, Madison, WI, 53707.