By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Saturday provided an opportunity to get a little wet and maybe even muddy. It was also an opportunity to learn about vernal pools and their importance.
Crawford Park District Naturalist Josh Dyer led an exploration of the wetlands in Carmean Woods on a search for frogs, salamanders, and bugs. Dyer explained what a vernal pool is.
“Today is just to highlight one of the unique habitats in Crawford County,” Dyer said. “Most of the woodlands we see and pass by in our drives out through the country have little depressions in them that hold water, and it is just for a short period of time.”
Prior to the hike into Carmean Woods, Dyer provided examples of the types of salamanders and frogs that inhabit the county’s woods and wetlands. Dyer used this time to explain the difference between males and females of the species. After explaining what they were looking for, Dyer provided field guides for detecting Ohio’s species of amphibians.
Dyer explained what the importance the vernal pools play for the amphibians and bugs.
“There are lots of animals that take advantage of that short window of water because fish can’t live there,” Dyer said. “Not just the amphibians that we hope to find today, but beetles, dragon flies and damsel flies, and just a plethora of animals that use these areas to reproduce.”
After wrapping up the first portion of his presentation Dyer led the group into the wetlands. While late in the season, the expedition did produce egg groupings for wood frogs, salamanders, as well as a beetle larva. While showing the findings to those in attendance Dyer explained that once hatched most of the salamanders would stay close to where they were hatched.
After Dyer finished showing the findings and documenting them, all of the specimens collected were documented and returned to where they were found.