Northern Pacific rattlesnakes are an important part of ecosystems. By eating rodents, snakes help keep disease prevalence down and small mammal populations in check, making for a healthy ecosystem. Northern Pacific rattlesnakes are also a food source for many animals, including some raptors such as red-tailed hawks.
Rattlesnakes are venomous and can be dangerous to humans. Others will stay quiet, hoping you ignore them. When walking in rattlesnake country, be aware of your surroundings and take these precautions:. There is another snake in Washington that mimics rattlesnake behavior and appearance.
The gopher snake Pituophis catenifer is large with dark blotches down the back with smaller blotches on the sides, a distinct eye stripe, and a tail that tapers to the tip. Adults reach up to five feet. The gopher snake uses its rattlesnake-like appearance to trick predators into thinking it is a more dangerous animal. Gopher snakes suck in air to puff up their bodies and release a hissing sound when they are agitated.
They will also shake the tip of their tail to mimic a rattlesnake. Gopher snakes are not venomous and are usually harmless, though they will strike if threatened. Like the rattlesnake, gopher snakes play a vital role in their ecosystems by keeping small mammal populations in check. Gopher snakes and rattlesnakes often live in the same habitats and prefer dry aras such as shrubsteppe, Oregon white oak, and ponderosa pine forests. Gopher snakes and rattlesnakes can be active during the day and night depending on the temperature.
Most bites happen when someone tries to harm the snake or pick it up. Snakes want to be left alone to enjoy the sunshine and eat tasty snacks! If you see one of these snakes, observe them from a safe distance at least six feet and give it a lot of room if you need to go around it. Do not kill the snake or attempt to move it. Learn more about preventing conflicts with snakes. The common garter snake is the most wide-ranging reptile in North America. In Washington it is found from coastal and mountain forests to sagebrush deserts, usually close to water or wet meadows - or your garden.
They give birth to live young from eggs they keep in their body until babies hatch. Young are born from July through September, and fend for themselves after hatching.
Small garter snakes eat earthworms and slugs; larger snakes may eat amphibians, small rodents, birds, and fish. Snakes aren't the only reptiles that live in Washington -- several lizard and turtle species also call Washington home. Watch the short video below for a glimpse of the variety of reptile species you could see in Washington. Then, visit our Species in Washington webpage to learn more about specific reptiles.
This is could be because the females would not be able to hear them due to the sound of the fast moving water within their habitats. They are one of the longest living frogs and can live up to 20 years! Lastly, they are one of the only frogs in the world that have internal fertilization.
The western toad is chunky, with short legs and numerous warts it is a toad after all. It can vary in color from gray, white, reddish broen, yelow or green with dark mottling on its tummy. There is a conspicuous light colored stripe running down the middle of its back. Their back feet have 2 large rubbery knobs on the heel which they use for digging shallow burrows or shelter under rocks and logs. The western toad is quite common and can be found across Washington except in the southeastern portion of the state.
Breeding season is from February — April. Eggs are laid in strings and will hatch within 10 days. Tadpoles will take up to 2 months to complete metamorphosis. Their call is a soft birdlike clucking call. Listen to it in the video below. When handled, the toad may emit a twittery sound, puff up and urinate.
These toads are active during daylight hours and are much more active during damp weather. The western toads population numbers have been declining for unknown reasons; even while in relatively pristine conditions. These toads can be found primarily in deep soils in river valleys, meadows, grasslands and flood plains. They burrow into soil to escape drought and cold. These toads breed from March to July in wetlands, marshes and other areas lacking strong current.
It has been compared to the sound of a sheep. This toad can secrete a white toxin that can cause nausea and irregular heart beats if ingested. Adult pacific treefrogs have a dark band extending from the shoulder to the nostril. The frogs back color may vary between green, brown, gray, reddish or bronze.
The pacific treefrog may be found on ground or in low shrubs, dense vegetation and under rocks. They are found throughout Washington state.
The breeding season is from November — July in permanent or semi-permanent water sources. Tadpoles stay in groups to avoid predators and take up to 3 months to complete metamorphosis. The pacific treefrog has a two part Kreek-eeck call. Listen to it below:. The Great Basin spadefoot has a vertical pupil unlike most other toads which have horizontal pupils. They can be greenish, gray or brown with a scattering of darker spots and blotches. Each spadefoot has a wedge shaped digging spade on their hind feet, hence the name.
In Washington, they can be found east of the Cascade mountains in dry or semi-dry areas. They are seldom seen as they spend most of their life buried under the soil. Breeding season is from April — June after heavy spring or summer rain. The eggs hatch within a few days and tadpoles complete metamorphosis in a week. That is the fastest metamophosis rate of any North American anura. Their call is a very nasal waaaaa sound. The Northern Red Legged frog produces a call underwater which requires the female to be close to the calling male in order to hear it.
When grabbed by predators, such as a garter snake, the Northern Red Legged frog will release a loud and startling scream. These frogs are typically found in humid forests, woodlands, grasslands and streamsides. They will breed in any permanent water sources such as lakes, ponds, slow streams and marshes.
In Washington, they can be primarily found west of the Cascades Mountains. No poisons should ever be added to the water to keep these animals out. The bullfrog Rana catesbeiana , Fig. Large populations of this species are believed to have contributed both directly and indirectly to the drastic decline of native amphibians and reptiles.
The bullfrog is the largest true frog in North America. It can measure 8 inches in length, leap up to 3 feet, and live nearly ten years. Bullfrogs are occasionally seen crossing roads, even during periods of dry weather, and may travel overland up to a mile. This movement allows them to expand their range from the source where they were introduced. The large number of eggs in each egg mass laid by the females allows bullfrogs to quickly establish themselves within a new territory.
Bullfrogs get their name from the baROOM mating call made by the males. Juveniles and adults of both sexes emit a squeak just prior to jumping into water when avoiding an intruder.
The original native range of bullfrogs was the eastern United States, but they have been introduced to most of western North America, from southern British Columbia to Baja California. Bullfrogs were first introduced into Washington during the Great Depression early s to provide opportunities for frog hunting, food i.
Bullfrogs thrive in the warm waters of natural and man-made ponds, marshes, sloughs, reservoirs, and sluggish irrigation ditches and streams. Bullfrogs tolerate polluted and muddy waters better than do most native frogs, and may be found within cities in wetlands, reservoirs, and stormwater ponds.
In their northern range and in cooler climates, bullfrogs persist only in year-round bodies of water because they require two years to develop from eggs into adult frogs. In their southern range and in warmer areas, they have been known to fully metamorphose in one year and colonize semi-permanent and seasonal ponds. Such cases have been documented by biologists in Oregon. Bullfrogs breed only after the nights warm up and reach the high 60s and 70s Fahrenheit , generally June and July here in Washington.
Adult bullfrogs and tadpoles overwinter in mud on the bottom of ponds and other bodies of water. They hibernate by burying themselves in surface mud or by digging cave like holes underwater. Adults also hibernate on land near ponds where they bury themselves within the soil. Their body temperature may drop virtually to the freezing point, and their hearts slow so drastically they seem to atop altogether.
But they continue to absorb oxygen through their moist skin, and when their surroundings thaw, they emerge into the spring sunshine to resume their business of catching insects and other prey. Adult bullfrogs usually are "sit and wait" predators that readily attack almost any live animal smaller than themselves—insects, frogs, tadpoles, fish, small snakes, turtle hatchlings, newts, salamanders, bats, hummingbirds, and ducklings.
Bullfrogs use their sticky tongues to subdue prey, but that's not their only method of securing food. Large frogs are more likely to lunge at their targets. Once they get a grip with their wide, sturdy jaws, they use their front feet to shove the items down their gullets. Garter snakes regularly catch and eat bullfrog tadpoles and adults. Painted turtles also eat some in late summer, when adult and developing bullfrogs become sluggish for some unknown reason.
Large bullfrogs also capture smaller ones and eat them. The relatively unpalatable nature of bullfrog tadpoles may give them the ability to coexist with many otherwise potential fish predators. Bullfrog eggs can be eaten by many predators leeches, salamanders, fish with no obvious detrimental effects to the predator. Under no circumstances should you take or purchase bullfrog tadpoles for your home pond, transfer wild-caught bullfrogs, or in any way encourage them to expand their range.
If you are adding plants or water to a small pond, make sure you are not also adding bullfrog eggs or tadpoles. Each female bullfrog creates one thin-jelly egg mass that may contain 6, to 20, very small eggs, which are black on top and white underneath.
Egg masses are generally found in water that is less than 2 feet deep in mid to late summer. The eggs start out as a round, basketball-size mass below or near the surface that then rises, flattens out, and forms a 2- to 4-inch gelatinous mass 2 feet in diameter.
The egg mass floats on the surface of the water or rests on the bottom within sparse vegetation. The mass remains attached to deep vegetation in some places and is often covered in algae. The tadpoles are dark green with black dots, orange or bronze eyes, and opaque yellow underbellies Fig. A two-year-old tadpole may be 4 to 6 inches long. The juveniles are green to brown with a peppering of tiny black spots, and have orange or bronze eyes.
A fold of skin extends from the eye around the eardrum. Adult bullfrogs have thickset bodies, large, exposed eardrums, and are green, tan, or dark brown above with dark spots.
Male bullfrogs have a yellow throat. The eardrums on males are larger than the eyes, while the female's eardrums are the same size as the eyes. The eyes of both sexes are gold. The removal of bullfrogs is unlikely to be a viable management option in most wild or semi-wild situations owing to the difficulty of removing all bullfrog eggs, tadpoles, and adults, and preventing surrounding bullfrogs from invading the water body. However, in a small wetland or pond it may be possible to eliminate the local bullfrog population by visiting the pond daily through the breeding season and removing all eggs, tadpoles, and adults.
Long-term success depends on closely monitoring the pond to prevent other bullfrogs from breeding. Bullfrog control techniques should be limited to those that cause the least harm to native amphibians. At least one person should be able to identify all stages of native amphibians when attempting to manage bullfrog populations. Foot traffic in areas where many juvenile toads, red-legged frogs, or other species are about should be minimized.
Adult bullfrogs are difficult to gig or catch in nets because they are very wary and leap for the water at first approach. However, when they stare at a bright light at night, they seem unable to see a hand, net, or frog gig reaching out to grab them. Wear a headlamp to keep your hands free, or have someone next to you spot the bullfrogs using a powerful flashlight.
Some people have found capturing adult bullfrogs in turtle hoop-nets to be a useful management technique. Because adult bullfrogs are less active in cooler water, usually March and April are the best months for catching them. Bullfrog tadpoles are equally difficult to catch because they quickly swim to deeper water to avoid capture. However, capture is made easier if the water body in which the tadpoles and adults live and breed is lowered with a pump or by another means to make them more accessible.
Tadpoles are best captured using a long-handled dip net not a fish net. Tadpole collection should be done when non-target species especially native amphibians are unlikely to be caught. For instance, in early September, when native frogs and salamanders occupying the site have turned into their juvenile stage and the only tadpoles left are bullfrog tadpoles.
Bullfrog eggs should be carefully collected in a large dip net or a 5-gallon bucket to avoid breaking up the egg masses. Clipping of vegetation may be necessary to dislodge the egg masses. Euthanasia of adult bullfrogs and tadpoles can be accomplished by a stunning blow to the head, followed by decapitation. Egg masses can be left on site a distance away from the water body to be eaten by a bird, other animal, or simply to dry out and desiccate.
Since bullfrogs generally require two years to develop, it may be possible to rid an area of these animals by draining the water body they inhabit. This assumes that there isn't another nearby water body that can serve as temporary harborage. Where ponds have dried up naturally, adult bullfrogs have been known to seek refuge in nearby wells, springs, animal burrows, and crevices in the ground.
The Northern leopard frog and Oregon spotted frog are state endangered species WAC and cannot be hunted or trapped. All other species of frogs are unclassified and can be controlled without a permit. The bullfrog is classified as a prohibited aquatic animal species WAC These species are considered by the commission to have a high risk of becoming an invasive species and may not be possessed, imported, purchased, sold, propagated, transported, or released into state waters except as provided in RCW The unlawful release of a prohibited aquatic animal species is a gross misdemeanor.
A second violation within five years is a class C felony. Bullfrogs can be taken by angling, hand dip netting, spearing gigging , or with bow and arrow only WAC
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