Finding Salamanders for Fun and Study: Where to Look and How To Handle For Your Safety And Theirs
Posted Nov 5, 09 -Filed Under Nature: plant and animal identification, children's activities (recycled materials), reuse glass bottles/ jars, seasonal: fall, seasonal: spring, seasonal: summer | Leave a Comment
Lungless salamanders, like the one above, breathe through the mucous membrane in their mouth and throat and through their skin. Moisture is especially important to lungless salamanders, because their skin must be wet in order to absorb oxygen. These animals like to stay protected but may venture out when the air is very humid. I guess that is why we found him out on that drizzly day.
Northern two-lined salamander found not too far from my house. Isn’t it cute?
Here is an activity to get the kids outside. Take them on a fun salamander hunt. Your kids probably won’t need much convincing but you can get them excited by telling them a few cool facts about salamanders.
1. Salamanders can drop off their tails to escape predators. This is called tail autotomy. The disconnected tale wiggles around and provides a distraction so the salamander can escape.
2. Salamanders can grow back a missing tail! It can also re-grow a missing leg!!
3. Salamanders regularly shed the outer layer of their skin (the epidermis) as they grow, and then eat it.
4. The skin of salamanders secretes mucus, which helps keep the animal moist when not in the water.
5. Salamanders can secrete poison from glands in their skin in order to be an undesirable meal. (more about that below)
Where to look for salamanders
Because a salamander’s skin must stay moist, look for adult salamanders in places where the earth is damp such as: under leaves, under logs, or near a wetland (stream, pond, swamp, marsh). If you do look under logs, be sure to replace the log back the way you found it being careful not to squish any living organism in the process.
Because salamanders are nocturnal (which means they are active mostly at night), you might also try hunting at night.
Perhaps you have come across one while doing yard work, working in your garden or while hiking through the woods.
Most salamanders have four toes on their front legs and five on their rear legs. This guy has 5 toes on its back legs; they are just hard to see in this photo.
Be kind to these little critters:
Handling suggestions for salamanders
Make sure you wash your hands before and after touching a salamander (or any amphibian). Wash your hands beforehand to remove any moisturizing lotion, suntan lotion, insect repellent, soap residue, or toxins from other amphibians. Salamanders are very sensitive to such things.
Handling should be kept to a minimum. When I show salamanders to children, I like to let the salamander walk on my hand rather than me “holding it”. You don’t want to squeeze any part of its delicate body.
Salamanders need to be kept cool. Also, they shouldn’t be left out in the sun because their skin will dry out. Mist its skin as necessary.
Never hold a salamander by its tail; it can break off. Although it can grow it back, it’s better for it not to have to.
Protect yourself:
Always wash your hands after handling amphibians because they have glands in their skin that secrete chemicals. (Salamanders, frogs, toads and newts are amphibians.)
Some of these chemicals are very nasty tasting. Your dog or cat may have discovered this. (That guy just didn’t want to be eaten.)
Some chemicals may cause skin or eye irritation. Don’t take any chances, wash your hands.
Some may actually kill (the poison-dart frogs of Central America).
Among the native amphibians of the United States, the two amphibians of greatest concern are giant toads (also called cane toads, marine toads, aga toads; Bufo marinus)- Common in some parts of FL. and the western newts of the genus, Taricha (found on the west coast of the U.S.).
Proper hand washing after handling should also prevent any problems with infection from Salmonella (bacteria that makes you sick).
This website http://therealowner.com/reptiles-amphibians/caring-for-salamanders/
Has good advice on how to care for your temporary “pet” once you find it.
For more information presented in a kid friendly way, check out this website:
http://www.thorp.k12.wi.us/~steinbach/limnology_oceanography/student_work/Salamanders/index.html
Flower Centerpiece: Milk bottle Vases in Weathered Canning Jar Lifter
Posted Oct 7, 09 -Filed Under garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), party décor (recycle and upcycle), reuse "trash", reuse glass bottles/ jars, seasonal: spring, seasonal: summer | 1 Comment
I found this weathered canning jar lifter and was happily surprised to find that the milk bottles that I saved fit perfectly. Of course I thought of a vase centerpiece. The first time I tried this, I used daisies from my wildflower garden and I liked the look even better. Regardless of the flowers: charming.
For the Love of Butterflies: Plant Butterfly Weed
Posted Jun 25, 09 -Filed Under children's activities (recycled materials), eco-friendly living ideas, garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), seasonal: spring, seasonal: summer | 1 Comment
This North American native is a wonderful source of nectar used by many butterflies. Butterfly weed is one of several species of flowers that we grow around our house to attract a myriad of butterflies.
To attract butterflies to our southern Maryland yard, we have included food for both stages of a butterfly’s life: the butterfly as well as the caterpillar. When you plant a butterfly weed you have done both. Plus, the strong orange flowers will give a festive touch to the outside extension of your home.
How to:
My girls scattered some butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberose) seeds in their garden. The seeds were a gift from a thoughtful friend. You will want to plant your seeds in a location that receives full sun. They prefer dry, sandy soil. It turned out to be easy to grow; just keep the seedlings moist. The older plants are much more tolerant of dry conditions. You can plant your seeds in late spring, summer or early fall. Either way, plan to wait until next summer for flowers. Seeds need a cold treatment before germinating. This can be done by either planting outside in the fall, or placing the seeds in the freezer for a few weeks before planting. New plants are also fairly easy to start from cuttings. Our plants have come up each year with no effort on our part and provide butterfly alluring powers. They flower all summer long and in the fall they have cool seed pods with fluff inside.
If you are a southern Maryland local (i.e. you live close enough that you can stop by), I’d be happy to save you some seeds. If collecting your own seeds, wait until the pods are already starting to open.
FYI, avoid pesticides because they kill butterfly larvae.
Butterfly Weed, a species of milkweed, is a host plant for Monarch Butterflies as well as others.
This is the monarch butterfly in its larval stage completely devouring several of our butterfly weed plants.
Plant a Strawberry Patch: Decreasing The Size Of Your Lawn Is Eco-friendly
Posted Jun 8, 09 -Filed Under children's activities (recycled materials), eco-friendly living ideas, garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), seasonal: spring, seasonal: summer | Leave a Comment
In an area that used to be part of our lawn, I made a garden for my two children. They have used it to grow edibles and things of beauty. This spring/ summer they decided to let the strawberry plants take over most of the growing space. Apparently you can be very tidy with your strawberries and snip off all the runners or you can let the runners do as they will. We like the second method; in which you end up with a beautiful mat of strawberry plants. My kids try to be the first each day to search for the sweet bounty. Growing a strawberry patch in place of some of your yard is twice as sweet: less lawn to mow and fresh local organic fruit besides.
Here is the kids’ garden.
Sweet Little Table and Stools Made From Logs: A Home-made Children’s Toy
Posted Apr 29, 09 -Filed Under crafts (recycled materials), gifts from recycled materials, imaginative play, seasonal: spring, seasonal: summer, use for natural stuff: vines, sticks... | 2 Comments
Lion invites Rabbit over for tea to apologize for his behavior the previous day. All is forgiven as they enjoy the beautiful day, the smell of the Lilly-of-the-Valleys, and the delicious tea.
The log tabletop in the pictures is about 10 inches across. I got the idea for this project when my husband was recently chain sawing a tree that had fallen during a storm. I asked him to cut me a thin slice of a branch. I used smaller branches and my sliding miter saw to cut the stool tops and bottoms, as well as, the table bottom. I used a product called liquid nails (left over from a home-improvement project) to glue the top and bottom together. It was so simple to make.
I’m going to make a few extra table and chairs sets to give away as gifts. I love toys that really spark the imagination.
Not long after Rabbit left, Bee stopped by.
Protect Vegetable Transplants With Home-Made Glass Garden Cloches
Posted Apr 18, 09 -Filed Under garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), reuse glass bottles/ jars, seasonal: spring | 2 Comments
My husband made these cute little garden cloches for me. I Think that Martinelli’s apple juice jugs (1.5 liters) look nice with the leaf pattern in the glass but use whatever you can get your hands on. I hope to find some gallon sized jugs next; I’ve seen them in stores. Cloches are very useful in family vegetable gardens like mine!
These home-made cloches acts like a mini greenhouse.
How to:
Collect glass jugs. After I transplant tender plants into my garden, I like to set out my home-made garden cloches beside each plant (in this case broccoli) that way they will be close when needed. If it gets cold at night or if it is going to be cold for a few days, I put these cloches over the transplants to keep them warmer.
Removing the bottom off your glass jugs:
Basically you roll the bottle around creating a score line: the tool holds the bottle in place so you get a straight line. You heat the score line with the flame of a candle then cool the area with cool tap water. If all goes well the bottom will just fall off. Then file or sand the raw edge. Plan to practice on a few scrap bottles. Follow the detailed instructions included with your bottle cutter. This is a good beginner bottle cutter project because the edge doesn’t need to look flawless as in when cutting drinking glasses.
I’ve included a picture of the bottle cutter that we own. We like the bottle cutter that we got but apparently they aren’t available anymore. (It was called BottleCutter) However, if you Google bottle cutter you will find other brands for sale.
How To Make A Bird Nester: Like A Bird Feeder But Contains Nesting Materials
Posted Feb 27, 09 -Filed Under crafts (recycled materials), garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), gifts from recycled materials, reuse berry basket, plastic/ paper, reuse milk carton, seasonal: spring, use for dryer lint, use for fabric scraps, use for natural stuff: vines, sticks..., use for yarn scraps | 4 Comments
I call this a bird nester because it is like a bird feeder but with nesting materials instead of bird seeds. I designed it out of recycled materials and made it look like a charming cottage complete with a chimney that has a wisp of smoke coming out.
How to:
You will need to save a plastic berry basket, a box type milk carton, scrap yarn or salvaged twist ties, and nesting material (see below).
Use a box type milk container to make the roof: cut out two adjoining sides as shown in image.
If you want to make a chimney, print out the chimney stencil I provided. Use the stencil to make a chimney out of the left over piece of milk carton or another scrap piece of cardboard. Add a small piece of white stuffing extending out of the chimney to simulate smoke rising. The chimney stencil makes a nicer chimney than the experimental one in the photo. Use the bottom tabs to glue the chimney to the roof or make two slits (with an exacto knife) in the roof and insert the tabs through.
Fill your bird nester with left-over odds and ends.
Suggestions: bits of left-over yarn, sheep’s wool , wool roving (ask a spinner), dryer lint (especially when you are drying a wool blanket or are felting a wool sweater ; but I wouldn’t recommend using fabric softeners, because the birds don’t need the added chemicals.) You can also use: fur, human hair, horse hair, snake skins(sure why not), leaves, feathers, plant fluff from a cattail plant or from a milkweed pod, straw, tree bark, pine needles, moss… For fun add: small colorful pieces of scrap yarn (4 inches more or less), strips of cloth, shredded paper… Experiment and see what happens.
Use a hole punch to make a few holes in the roof along the edge. Attach roof with a bit of scrap yarn or twist ties (salvaged from toy packaging etc. or from produce).
You may also be interested in checking out a similar post at FunInTheMaking : Bag Of Nest Building Material, Great Gift For Birds Or Bird Lovers
The following is a note I received:
“I’m not sure if you know or not, but dryer lint is not a suitable product for bird nests.
If it becomes wet it is dense and takes a really long time to dry out thus keeping fragile babies cold and wet.
If conditions are not fixed in time, they will perish.
My vet has confirmed and if you search long and hard on the Internet you may also find a stray post or two.
Better materials would be soft WHITE feathers, human, cat, dog or better yet horse hair, thread only 2″ long at most, 100% cotton 3″ long by 1/4″ wide etc...”
-Debra
(Thank you for your input Debra.)
Bag Of Nest Building Material, Great Gift For Birds Or Bird Lovers
Posted Dec 3, 08 -Filed Under children's activities (recycled materials), eco-friendly living ideas, garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), gifts from recycled materials, reuse bag, plastic mesh produce, seasonal: spring, use for dryer lint, use for natural stuff: vines, sticks..., use for yarn scraps | Leave a Comment
Help make a bird’s job of nest building a little easier by providing it with wonderful nest building materials. After you make it, hang outside in early spring for the birds to discover. Then keep your eyes out for nearby bird’s nests: you might spot some of your offerings.
How to: Save a plastic mesh produce bag: they are the bags that oranges and onions usually come in at the grocery store. Loosely stuff your mesh produce bag with any of the following:
bits of left-over yarn, sheep’s wool , wool roving (ask a spinner), dryer lint (especially when you are drying a wool blanket or are felting a wool sweater ; but I wouldn’t recommend using fabric softeners, because the birds don’t need the added chemicals.) You can also use: fur, human hair, horse hair, snake skins(sure why not), leaves, feathers, plant fluff from a cattail plant or from a milkweed pod, straw, tree bark, pine needles, moss… For fun add: small colorful pieces of scrap yarn (5 inches more or less), strips of cloth, shredded paper… Experiment and see what happens.
Quick gift for nature lovers of all ages.
Egg Heads with Grass Hair
Posted May 14, 08 -Filed Under garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), gifts from recycled materials, party favors, reuse egg shells, seasonal: spring | 2 Comments
These fun to make Egg Heads were done by my kids. They liked making them so much, they went on to make many more creative characters.
How to: The next time you are making scrambled eggs, save the shell. The fastest way to get the insides out is to give the side of the top a whack with a knife (a butter knife will do) and then give the other side a whack. The idea is to make a big hole in the top. Next draw on the face; make funny, cute, and/or wacky characters. Fill with potting soil and sprinkle on grass seeds. I used Rye grass seeds. Add water and place on a windowsill. Next time I’m going to dye the egg purple and make an adorable green-haired monster with one eye and wings- a one-eyed, one horn, flying purple people eater!
Home-made Sweet Bird’s Nest
Posted Mar 14, 08 -Filed Under crafts (recycled materials), home décor (recycle and upcycle), party décor (recycle and upcycle), seasonal: spring, use for natural stuff: vines, sticks... | 1 Comment
You will have fun making your own sweet bird’s nest. They are lovely as centerpieces in a garden wedding or for spring decorating. Nests look amazing displayed under a glass cloche. These nests have all the charm of natural bird’s nests so you can leave the real ones for the birds. (There are laws in the US and Canada prohibiting the collecting of eggs and nests.)
They also make a beautiful gift for an expectant mother. They adorn the nursery with a natural reminder of the new life and the comfort and protection she will surround it.
How-to:
Step 1. Gather some vines. I made these examples from the vines of the fragrant honeysuckle flower but you could try other vines as well. While the vines are still fresh, twist them around your hand; making tight circles then gradually spiraling bigger until you form the desired nest shape and size. Tuck in the ends to prevent unraveling. No glue is needed.
Step 2. Add a layer of dried grass and/or dried fall leaves. Look on the side of the road in the fall or early spring for different dried grasses. You might want to put a pouch of rice or sand into the center of the nest to weight it down while your nest dries a bit. Keep it there until it holds its shape on its own -usually the next day. This gives the nest its great cozy feel; like a mommy bird has been sitting in it getting it ready for her little ones.
Step 3. Looking for things to decorate your nest is half the fun. Go for a hike.
Adorn your nest with a variety of native and locally grown ornamental plants including dogwood blossoms, hydrangea flowers, grasses, and herbs. In addition, you could add moss, bark, leaves, and feathers. Don’t overlook the tiny dried seedpods of last summer’s flowers.
You may try lining your nest with downy feathers like in this nest or use a striking feather as an accent.
Moss looks very natural in a nest. Moss can be found in shady areas which tend to be damp.
Flowers like the dogwood blossoms on this nest can be dried in silica (a desiccant). There isn’t much to it really. Just place the fresh flowers in a container of silica and then gently pour more on top until the flower is completely covered. Check it after a few days, if it is dry, shake off the excess powder and you are ready to use them on your nest.
Try adding fresh herbs to make it smell good. Thyme was used in this nest but I also like Sage.
I think these adorable ceramic speckled quail eggs make a nice addition.
I encourage you to make your own but if you would prefer to buy, you can special order the nests for garden weddings or otherwise from Fun In The Making (contact). Nests can also be custom made for dolls such as the impeccably made Fairy dolls seen at www.PixieKissedBabies.com. *Click Rosella’s Auction.