Subscribe to our Got Nature? Newsletter

Got Nature? Blog

---

---

Spring time brings a cacophony of frog calls around ponds and wetlands, but as spring slowly transitions into summer, the warmer temperatures signal the breeding season for many of our native reptiles. One of the oldest and most primitive reptile groups are the turtles. These ancient reptiles have remained relatively unchanged for 225 million years. There are currently ~300 species of turtles worldwide, and 18 species are found in Indiana. Most turtles in Indiana are associated with water, particularly waters that provide a variety of food items, basking sites and adjacent upland habitats. While Indiana is home to a diversity of turtle species, many are declining in number across their range. There are many factors contributing to these declines, but one that is particularly important this time of year is road mortality.

Why do you see so many turtles crossing the road in late spring and early summer (May-June)? This is the time of year when most of our turtles are searching for adequate nesting sites. Unlike amphibians that generally lay their eggs directly in the water, female turtles search for nesting spots in open, unshaded areas where the soil is not muddy or subject to flooding. Nests are often located on the nearest spot of land providing these conditions, but females of some species may travel 1-2 kilometers in search of a suitable net site.

Unfortunately, many of the upland sites are separated from ponds, lakes and streams by roads (Figure 1). As the females leave the ponds to lay eggs, they are forced to cross busy roads and may suffer incredibly high mortality rates (Figure 2). Females are more prone to road mortality than males (which are not required to leave the water to lay eggs), resulting in some populations consisting of nearly all male turtles. Increased female mortality lowers population growth rates (once the female is killed, so are the eggs she was carrying). To further complicate matters, turtles are long-lived species (up to 100 years), and females may not reach sexual maturity for 8-25 years.

What can you do to help? Increase vigilance and slow down when driving, especially in areas where roads intersect ponds and adjacent uplands. If you encounter an injured turtle that needs medical attention, call the Indiana DNR at 800-893-4116 or 317-232-4080 during business hours, 765-473-9722 (northern half of Indiana) or 812-837-9536 (southern half of Indiana) after hours or visit wildlifehotline.info.

For more information on turtles:
The Turtles of Indiana
The Education Store (Search keywords for more information)

Rod Williams, Associate Professor of Wildlife Science
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue​ University

---

---

---

One of the best parts of spring is seeing all of the wildlife seemingly come to life around us. Unfortunately, that activity can also bring new challenges to homeowners. One of the most common and widespread problems is lawn damage caused by moles.

In Indiana, eastern moles cause significant lawn damage. Characteristic signs of damage are the raised surface tunnels (these make your lawn uneven and feel “spongy” when you walk across it) and the dirt mounds created when moles dig deeper tunnels. A single mole can dig many feet of tunnels; one study found a single mole constructed 31 m of surface tunnels in a day.

Biologists actually know very little about moles compared to many species. It is assumed they are territorial and solitary (except during the breeding season), but that has yet to be determined. The only home range study of eastern moles was published in 1976. That study found that the average home range size of male moles was just over 2.5 acres; females had an average home range size of two-thirds of an acre. In reality, there is likely much variation across habitat types and season. Clearly, small yards in urban areas are capable of sustaining many moles.

One of the most effective ways to control moles in the yard is by trapping. It just so happens that the best time to trap them is right now. In May, moles are actively looking for food (mostly earthworms and insects) in the top layer of the soil profile; however, they have not yet had their litter of up to four young. Thus, a little trapping effort now can save you more effort, and less damage, later.

There are a lot of different kinds of mole traps on the market. Which do you choose? Regardless of the type of trap, it should be in good working order. Poorly kept traps that are rusty with loose or broken parts are not worth setting out. In terms of the specific type of trap that you use, it’s really up to you. With types of traps, I use the analogy of computer programs. There are advantages and limitations to most computer programs, but they all get the job done they were intended to do. Different people seem to find different programs easier to work with than others. Perhaps most often, we simply use the first program we learned to use, and as long as it works, there’s not much point in learning another. I think the same is true of traps. We tend to have success with the ones that we first learned or have some experience with using.

The main point is to start trapping now – don’t wait for the damage to get worse. Select relatively straight surface tunnels for trap locations. If you only have one trap at your disposal, you may want to also mark a couple other potential trapping locations. Collapse these locations by stepping on them and marking them with a pin flag. If you aren’t having success catching a mole in your initial location, you can try moving to one of these if the tunnels are repaired. It may be that you initially chose a tunnel that was not a primary tunnel. However, it also may mean that your trap was not set properly.

Finally, you may come across some references that will direct you to check the traps frequently. While this is absolutely critical for live traps, it is not for mole traps since they are kill traps. There is no requirement to check them regularly other than to see if you have a mole. However, a trap with a dead mole won’t catch anything else. This is one reason why setting several traps is better if you have access to them. If you don’t catch a mole within two days, then you should consider moving locations or resetting the trap. When you catch a mole, keep setting traps until you don’t catch them. Most homeowners have problems with several moles and not simply one mole.

For more detailed information about controlling moles, see Wildlife Conflict Management – Moles, Purdue Department of Entomology.

Resources:
Moles, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Dealing With Mole Damage in Your Yard, Video, Purdue-Extension Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Adjuvants and the Power of the Spray Droplet: Improving the Performance of Pesticide Applications, The Education Store
Preventing Wildlife Damage – Do You Need a Permit?, The Education Store
Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
How to Stop Woodland Animals from Digging in Your Flower Pots, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel

​Brian MacGowan, Extension Wildlife Specialist
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University

---

---

---

Salamanders are often mistaken for lizards, but the two groups are very different.

Though they both have similar body shapes, lizards are reptiles (along with turtles, snakes, crocodiles, dinosaurs, and yes, birds) while salamanders are amphibians (along with toads, frogs and a weird and rarely seen group called caecilians). This means lizards have dry scaly skin, while salamanders have moist, porous skin. Lizards all must breathe with lungs, just as humans do. Salamanders, on the other hand, can breathe through their skin, via gills, via lungs or in some cases via their skin and lungs!

Another major difference between lizards and salamanders is their reproduction. Lizards have leathery, partly calcified (shelled) eggs that are typically buried in sand or dirt, but a few species are hatched while still inside the mother before birth. Salamanders, as amphibians, mostly lay their eggs in water where the larvae hatch and after some time usually metamorphose and return to land. Lizards can be found most anywhere on land, while salamanders must stay where they won’t dry out: under logs or leaves, underground or directly in water. We have about six species of lizards and 23 species of salamanders here in Indiana.

Several of the salamander species are listed as Special Concern or State Endangered. Regardless of their legal status, all wildlife should be left where you find it unless it’s in immediate danger, such as on a road.

For more information on how to identify Indiana salamanders and lizards:
Salamanders of Indiana book
Snakes and Lizards of Indiana

Place keywords in the search field at the Purdue Extension resource center for more information: The Education Store.

View Help The Hellbender website for more information on salamanders.

Steve Kimble, Post Doctoral Research Associate
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue

Rod Williams, Associate Professor of Wildlife Science
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue

---

---